The logic of India’s response to China

livemint ^ | 15 August 2017 | Harsh V.Pant

[cold start]

Amid the standoff between Indian and Chinese troops in Doklam area in the Sikkim sector, national security adviser Ajit Doval’s visit to China has come and gone. Nothing much has changed on the ground. Beijing continues to harangue and wage its psychological warfare, sometimes by reminding India of 1962 and sometimes by suggesting that countermeasures from Beijing would be unavoidable if the Narendra Modi government continues to ignore the Chinese warnings. Chinese officials even went to the extent of informing a visiting Indian media delegation that Bhutan has conveyed to Beijing through diplomatic channels that the area of the standoff is not its territory though, of course, no evidence for this claim was provided. Thimphu later denied these claims........

.....This comes after minister of external affairs Sushma Swaraj’s assertion in Parliament a few days back that war was not a solution and India would resolve the border standoff with China through dialogue. But she also made it clear that India’s reasonableness shouldn’t be mistaken for weakness. “Just because we want to have friendly relations with our neighbours, they shouldn’t cross the line. India always wanted smooth relations with China. But the alignment of boundaries involving India, China and Bhutan has to always be finalized in consultation with all three countries,” she said, underscoring New Delhi’s resolve not to be cowed down by Beijing’s relentless high-pitched campaign.

This crisis between China and India is different from other such episodes in the past but what makes it unique in recent memory is New Delhi’s determination so far not to concede the standoff on China’s terms. Beijing has tried everything. It has used its media to bully India; it has threatened India officially; it has used colonial era records selectively; it has tried to rally world public opinion. But India has not budged.......

[canalabamian]

Just this afternoon I read that China has taken 2000+ km from India along the Himalayas. They used herders, farmers, and other non-violent means to gradually encroach then occupy. I swear I fail to understand how we have not caught on to China’s and Russia’s “new” warfare. All they are doing is combining business, migration, and other human tendancies to advance their strategic goals. I guess it helps to have strategic goals to orient your actions.

[DIRTYSECRET]

Under those circumstances Russia has a lot more to worry about. Think a billion Chinese and a Siberia territory that’s underdeveloped, in need of labor. Chinese are available and then come their mail order brides.

[Seruzawa]

Our strategic goals consist of getting reelected every 2, 4 and 6 years. Lol.

[Wuli]

Maybe Kim in North Korea was told by China to call off his missile threat; let China take care of its problem with India first, so it will be free to help Kim if needed.

[ThanhPhero]

I think Much of Siberia notrh of Mongolia and Sin Kiang is already pretty well populated by Chinese.