- It has been a year since the Galwan incident in eastern Ladakh occurred where 20 of our brave soldiers were martyred laying down their lives in an act of supreme sacrifice to protect India’s territorial integrity. The visuals of the fist-to-fist fighting between the enemy and Indian soldiers are too fresh. Despite fighting the harshest weather conditions, the verve, chutzpah, and unbelievable bravery exhibited by the soldiers only reaffirm our belief that we indeed are in safe hands. Further, the aftermath of the Galwan incident has permanently altered the geopolitical and geostrategic equations between Indian as well as other like-minded countries on one side and China on the other side is obvious.
PC: PTI
- The global community is witness to how blatantly Beijing is marching ahead in its unfettered ambitions and expansionist policies much against the established international order in the past decade or so. The South and the East China Sea have been anything but peaceful and pleasant owing to Beijing’s unauthenticated claims on these waters. Aggressive and intimidating intent shown against the Taiwanese Government needs no further elaboration either. Hong Kong continues to witness overpoweringly muzzling efforts is also an indication of how China aspires to leave behind its footprints even if it goes against the tenet of accepted universal norms.
- On top of it, the way the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has panned out ever since the breakout was first reported in Wuhan and the petulance with which the entire saga is being played out disallowing investigations by the communist country has only added to the growing dissatisfaction against the nation. It is now becoming increasingly clear that the dreaded virus might have originated in the Wuhan Institute of Virology laboratory leaving behind a trail of unquantifiable destruction across the globe. Make no mistake, the Indian Government was caught napping when the eastern Ladakh borders along the line of actual control were being usurped. To its credit, the subsequent actions have been on expected lines without allowing the Chinese side to side-step the thorny issue to resume business as usual approach.
PC: Dr. Jürg Utzinger
- In a refreshing move, the Indian Government has shed the hitherto in use soft gloves methodology by sparing no punches on different fronts without bothering about the perceived consequences from the other side. In a swift diplomatic maneuver, the Indian Government has given a further fillip to the Quad formation which is turning out to be a massive diplomatic move acting as a checking point as well as countering measure against the Chinese designs. The G7 announcement to counter the Border and Road Initiative (BRI) with Build Back Better (B3W) has also received welcome backing from the Indian side.
- All these deft moves backed by the Indian Government are tactically aimed at building considerable diplomatic heft amongst the like-minded countries to build requisite international pressure on China. This could act as a diplomatic deterrent against the increasingly belligerent nation showing no constraint whatsoever. The Indian Government should further consolidate by reaching out to allies forming formal and informal alliances to keep the Chines side on tenterhooks. Acquiring formidable economic heft does not provide carte blanche to roll over other countries and hence, the Chinese adventures deserve to be halted sooner than later.
