India and CPEC

Conceptually speaking, characterization of the CPEC as a game changer, an epoch making step towards eternal strategic partnership between China and Pakistan, and a harbinger of regional connectivity and shared economic prosperity, is beyond reproach.

But unfortunately this envisaged economic bonanza is an eyesore for some countries. India particularly is making strenuous efforts to sabotage the implementation of CPEC. The terrorist attack on a bus on July 14 which killed nine Chinese engineers, three Pakistanis and 28 others working on the hydropower project at Dasu D,am, repeated attacks on security forces in Balochistan, and the attack on the Karachi Stock Exchange all had the Indian imprint.

According to media reports, a special desk has been created in RAW to undermine and thwart the implementation of the CPEC about which intelligence agencies of Pakistan have gathered authentic information.  The RAW Chief reports directly to the Indian Prime Minister who is personally supervising the venture.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during his visit to China, reportedly expressed concern over Chinese investment in Pakistan under CPEC in his meeting with Chinese President. The Indian position is that the Corridor would be passing through a disputed territory (Gilgit-Baltistan). India, it may be pointed out, had also raised the same argument with Asian Development Bank which was one of the financiers of the Bhasha-Diamer Dam, and it consequently had shown some reluctance in fulfilling its commitments after the Indian objections.

RAW has also been backing and sponsoring the insurgency in Balochistan and cross-border terrorism using Afghan territory. The nexus between RAW, the Tehrik Taliban Pakistan, and Afghan intelligence agency DNS is a well-known fact. RAW has established sanctuaries and training camps for terrorists on Afghan soil. Pakistan has persistently raised this issue with the Afghan government, to dismantle these camps which are being used by RAW to destabilize Balochistan and undermine CPEC.

The arrest of Kalbhushan Jhadav in Balochistan and his confessions left no doubt about Indian support to insurgency in Balochistan and sponsoring of acts of terrorism within Pakistan. The renewed spate of acts of terrorism in Balochistan and KPK also testify to Indian involvement.

It is indeed a pity that the Indian leadership has failed to comprehend the benefits of CPEC to the region including India, and is pursuing a policy to undermine it at the behest of her strategic partners who are hellbent on stopping China from emerging as the major economic and military power of the world, which in any case is bound to fail. China is now unstoppable. India’s own economic development and prosperity are inextricably linked to peace and security in the South Asian region. It is therefore in India’s own long term interest to abandon its hostile posture towards Pakistan as well as the attempts to sabotage CPEC. Indian leaders need to understand that Indian security and economic progress is inextricably linked to South Asia and any attempts to destabilize the region will also undermine her strategic interest.  

The modus operandi of RAW for sabotaging CPEC seems to exacerbate the security situation in Pakistan through acts of terrorism, and consequently cause the creation of an ambience of despondency among the masses, as well as creating an ambience of mistrust between China and Pakistan, but there its efforts have hit a wall.

Undermining CPEC is also a part of the US-India nexus designed to contain China. A sustained campaign has been unleashed to create doubts about CPEC and the likely benefits to accrue to Pakistan. The biggest argument being advanced by the USA is that the Chinese loans would exponentially add to the debt burden of the country and Pakistan, like Sri Lanka, would be caught in the Chinese debt trap.

The contention in this propaganda is contrary to the ground realities.  The major portion of the CPEC projects are direct Chinese investment in Pakistan. The Chinese loans only constitute six percent of the total debt burden of Pakistan. The reality is that these loans have been advanced on the rates lower than given by the international lending agencies.   The role of a spoiler of the peace process in Afghanistan by India is also a part of the strategy to sabotage CPEC and harm Pakistan’s strategic interests.

India has also unleashed a sustained campaign to malign Pakistan as revealed by EU disinfo Lab recently.  It has not only failed to respond to positive overtures by Pakistan for beginning a new chapter of amity between the two countries and peaceful resolution of the disputes between them but It also continues on the path of confrontation wedded to undermining interests of Pakistan by all means.

It is pertinent to point out that both Pakistan and China have repeatedly asked India to join CPEC and play its role in the shared economic prosperity of the region, as envisaged in the objectives of the BRI initiative of the Chinese President XI Jinping.

The concept of ‘One Belt One Road’ envisions partnership with the countries along the route to develop infrastructure which is absolutely essential for sustainable development of any country. China has also established the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) which is a major step towards providing required finances to the partner countries for development of necessary infrastructure in their lands to be able to contribute to the shared economic prosperity and making the project a success as envisaged. It is estimated that the annual trade volume between China and ‘Belt and Road’ countries will surpass $2.5 trillion in a decade or so, changing the political and economic landscape of the world.

It is indeed a pity that the Indian leadership has failed to comprehend the benefits of CPEC to the region including India, and is pursuing a policy to undermine it at the behest of her strategic partners who are hellbent on stopping China from emerging as the major economic and military power of the world, which in any case is bound to fail. China is now unstoppable.

India’s own economic development and prosperity are inextricably linked to peace and security in the South Asian region. It is therefore in India’s own long term interest to abandon its hostile posture towards Pakistan as well as the attempts to sabotage CPEC. Indian leaders need to understand that Indian security and economic progress is inextricably linked to South Asia and any attempts to destabilize the region will also undermine her strategic interest.