The peninsular peace: India China relations

(“Dharmo rakshati rakshita” – Manusmriti)
Follow the ordained duty, you will be protected

Introduction

Indian diplomacy and the military craft centre around Dharma, the ordained duty, enjoined by a strict code of conscience, known by descendence and understood by everyone by usage. Our texts on warcraft and rules of engagement in combat have their roots in the great military genius and the law and customs of war. All battle tactics is, therefore, subject to superior logic at all times. Thanks to our vigilant media that the world has seen the unprincipled incursions of the Chinese forces along the India China border in the recent past. These were backed and vainly justified by their State authorities. It was a sure testimony of their myopic appreciation of the political and military reality which is ordinarily unbecoming of any country considering herself ready and capable of dominating the canvass as large and diverse as the Asian Continent.

A world player must have sights set beyond himself?

For sharing the table as a world player, should you be only militarily strong and politically ruthless? No, that’s not all! Fortunately, for the good of humanity, insidious ambitions of an establishment like this how much ever large, have a latent flaw. Those are steeped in toxicity from nascence and although show an outwardly ascendance initially, corrode the originator from within. This must be known to those who are the architects of campaigns. The vain attempts to intimidate India, the largest democracy in the world, by growls is a clear misadventure by the Dragon and a result of avoidable overconfidence. It, in fact, stirred the lion, looking far and beyond in all four directions, resting on the Altar and lectern of truth – satyameva jayate, truth alone is victorious.

It’s not a child’s play to be messing with the Indian establishment, this should have been known to the architects of the confused campaigns holding the reins of power in Beijing. A world player must set his sights at the horizon with an objective of what the great Indian visionary JRD Tata called the leadership by consensus. Our neighbour across the great Himalayas has failed miserably on this count. It’s our turn now. We have and we shall lead not only men in battle but also nations desirous of living and progressing together.

It may sound weird that it is the circumstances which have created the irretrievable situations between India and China, it cannot, however, be forgotten that circumstances do create situations of massive proportions and if not controlled by a strong and superior will, would result into far-reaching and sometimes disastrous consequences. We are endowed with the requisite superior will and capability.

Naturally Belligerent China – a distorted psyche where peace should rule

The latest belligerence seen in the Chinese behaviour, conspicuous by flagrant violations of rules of the armistice, costing precious human lives, revealed a trait contrary to the progeny of the Zhous, Hans and many others of the pride. It is definitely not congenital or prenatal but certainly an acquired attribute, repugnant to the fundamental aims and objectives on which the civilized States in the world have been conceptualized. With a background of ruthless repression of legitimate representations of its own citizens and the motivated indoctrinations, to the extent of being barbaric, it has followed a policy of extreme intolerance and usurpation.

A bioscopic view from the time of its evolution took the writer through a land of myriad dynasties, simple and contended people and profound scholars in pursuit of new realms of knowledge. The second half of the twentieth century saw the resurgence of new political ideologies in China until she settled finally with the cultural revolution of Mao-Tse-Tung in 1966 to 1976 and his leap forward.

This introduced China to the new political order, the Communist Party of China and the People’s Republic – enforcing a new social and economic order in the country. Though its foundations had faults as it brought in the wake extreme repression justified on the ground that novelty brings resistance and resistance needs to be curbed by a ruthless State force – an inflexible proletarian thought which soon bloated into a Capitalistic form eventually, moderated by Deng, the reformist except her expansionistic outlook!

History reveals that China derives its name from the pristine Sanskrit scriptures with pride in her rich history and culture. However, its latest advocacy of unrelenting violence against India that gave to the world as well as to China, the religions of peace and the idols of compassion and peaceful resolutions, coupled with a bellicose demeanour on the world stage has placed it on the wrong side of humanity!

Benevolent India- A superior benefactor

As for the ambition of geographical accessions, despite a resolute and determined disposition, of our Nation, the author does not find this desire of usurpation anywhere in its policy towards its neighbours. The panchsheel, the principles of peaceful co-existence flow in our veins. Speak of the unassuming Indian, his pride is original, enriched by the incredible kaleidoscopic cultures of India.

In the environment rich in benevolence, it actually puzzles the author to see how a country like China, with such profound history, could degenerate into a state of unrequited commiseration adopting a devouring trait as an integral part of its policy of expansionism! Definitely, there has to be a long consistent cause and a fixed mindset at the levels of the destiny makers of that nation. With a marked aversion to peaceful co-existence, it is, in fact, a malaise in a democratic world!

The good customs and usage- the roots in morality

The high proprieties of war were followed in battles by India. In, in some cases, the customs took the shape of statues, a majority of them remained unwritten but were followed even in the most adverse situations. Our troops have shown this to the world while tackling the Chinese incursions recently. We can’t be faulted in chivalry!

The underlying cause and its effect

The underlying cause is the insatiable ambition of dominance in the region inherently averse to the idea of the world being an enlarged family where the human race and its preservation on the planet is the central motto! Why the National People’s Congress (NPC), the seat of Chinese polity is indulging into this kind of political and military behaviour, is difficult to understand, more importantly, when it has been one of the founding and permanent members of the United Nations! In fact, this conduct of China is portraying its ancestors and history, in poor light, if that is of any concern to those in power in Beijing!

When we the people of India, i.e., Bharat, stand in comparison with China, we emerge as reckonable world leader. It needs no emphasis that leadership is, our trait. It’s the natural inclination of a suave Indian that he respects others more than himself but we breathe in and out the popular mantra, sarve bhavantu sukhina, sarve santu niramaya, or let everyone be happy, let everyone be free from disease.

How do we respond to these belligerent forces?

The experience has led us to believe that dragon respects power and exploits timidity and thrives by spreading distress in the neighbourhood. Events of the recent past reveal that they can disregard human life on planet Earth to any extent. The pupils of Lao Tse are either silenced or have become irrelevant in the midst of the clatter of confusion. They must wake up and realise that we live in times when the walls are falling. In the wake of the recent development on the Sino-Indian border, it is not hard to visualize that India China relationship is not as simple as it appears. Going back to the times of Faxi-han and Huen-zang, who visited India and carried out a comparative study of Buddhism in India and Buddhism in China. These Bhikkhus became the apostles of peace from and for the nation which is propagating war as a solution to all issues in the present times. The present-day state of affairs would belie any sensible belief in these backgrounds – Unfortunate for the people of the country of these Buddhist scholars! Our pride, on the contrary, is our belief that the whole world is a family- Vasudhaiv kutumbakam! This makes us fundamentally sagacious and patient. Exhibiting remarkable vision and fortitude, we find ourselves guided by the pristine adage,”Where there is no vision, the people perish.”

About Indian sense and sensibility: our forces in combat

The forces in combat are required to be seen as highly obedient well-groomed and loyal, committed to the defence of the nation. Talking about the recent so-called gains and losses at the border and the Galwan Valley in particular, to understand where we stand, it will be relevant to trace which way the rest of the world is heading. We in India who moved on trust and great human values, accepted China as a good neighbour presupposing that she has the Will to make amends for the past mistakes. With what China is practising with its military and politics with respect to its benevolent neighbour India, is eroding the mutual trust which nations can build amongst themselves and layout a better future for themselves. They are oblivious of the fact that as for the countries around China, at any stage, even if China attempts a truce with them, they shall all revert to their own national ethics and military traditions as the volatile nature of China’s priorities, is detrimental to any good relationship.

The Walls are falling – trust our teachings in morality

With losing ground rapidly on the moral plane, China needs to step back and make way for India as the leader in the world. It doesn’t need to be reiterated that our cultural superiority is an admitted fact. Let it be known, We have arrived! We shall make the desired difference on the world scene. We are ready! Peace, tranquillity, respect, safety and security of human lives will now follow as the sure concomitant!