As if a global pandemic and a severe economic recession weren’t enough, we now have a serious Indo-China border conflict in Ladakh too. Both sides had casualties for the first time in four decades. We lost 20 soldiers, which is heart-breaking and terrible.
Multiple sources say China started it all. They made an incursion from the current line of control into the Indian side. To break the precarious balance at the border seemed unnecessary. The loss of Indian lives is also unwarranted. As patriotic Indians, it fills us with rage. A full-blown military retaliation may even be what the heart wants. After all, we seek accountability. We also want to send a message that this won’t be tolerated.
Yet, if we listen to our heads too (which we must here), we may realise that a violent retaliation may end up harming us a lot too. More anger isn’t more patriotism. Staying calm and thinking strategically through this situation could serve India much better.
To design a response, it’s important to assess the economic, military and diplomatic might of the two countries. Bravado and love for country is one thing, where India stacks up against China is quite another. China is five times bigger in GDP economy or in per capita income. This massive difference in wealth means they can outspend us. They can also absorb more pain from a war than we can. Pakistan, our regular adversary for instance, has a GDP only one-tenth the size of India. Obviously, the response has to be different in the two cases.
This story is from the July 04, 2020 edition of The Times of India Hyderabad.
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This story is from the July 04, 2020 edition of The Times of India Hyderabad.
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