Chinese make inroads in India's neighbourhood

India and China are competitors in Asia. India is the only country in the region to have halted the Chinese military in its tracks.

- HARSHA KAKAR

It also refuses to acknowledge the BRI, including in forums where the two nations jointly participate. After protracted negotiations, the two nations disengaged in Ladakh. De-escalation and de-induction are still some distance away.

While it may appear that peace is possibly around the corner, mainly due to changing global dynamics, India remains aware that China is a major threat and it cannot let its guard down. Indian capability and infrastructure development is largely to counter Chinese military threats.

While handling China militarily and economically is one aspect, what remains a matter of concern is growing Chinese influence in South Asia, India's backyard. This has the ability to impact India's security. The tools that China employs are vast, including economic, educational and promoting the Confucian model which is non-interference in internal matters of other nations.

Economically, all countries in South Asia, except India, are members of the Chinese BRI (Belt Road Initiative). Loans provided by China without preconditions have made these nations indebted to Beijing. Currently, Pakistan owes 72 per cent of its foreign debt to China, Sri Lanka 57 per cent, Maldives 68 per cent, Nepal 27 per cent and Bangladesh 24 per cent. For any loans from global lenders, such as the World Bank, these nations would need debt restructuring from China, which provides it with additional leverage. The case of Sri Lanka is well known where China acted only once India led the way.

Globally, China has never conditioned its loans based on the nature of governance nor projects for which they are sought. Thus, nations questioned by Western institutions or sanctioned for human rights prefer the Chinese. Once hooked, the nation becomes beholden to China and over a period of time is compelled to support it in global forums.