India Should Correct Tilt Toward America And Revive Spirit Of Panchsheel

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By Dr. Sawraj Singh

There is growing perception in the world that India is tilting toward America and abandoning its traditional non-alignment policy, and has dampened the spirit of Panchsheel. Such an impression is neither good for India nor for the rest of the world. India should help in trying to solve the global conflicts rather than becoming party to the conflicts. The just-held 2+2 meeting between the Indian defense and Foreign ministers with their American counterparts did very little to dispel the perception that the Indian tilt toward America is continuing. India should realize that India is an important country in the world and should not accept a subservient role to America in regional and world affairs.

India has surpassed France to become the sixth largest economy of the world. India has also become the fourth strongest military power after America, Russia and China. India is finding more and more areas of cooperation with China. Even though there are some areas of disagreement between the two countries, areas of agreement are far more prevalent. American bullying of the two countries with the America First and the new trade policy of coercion and sanctions are also pushing the two countries together. The sooner the two countries come together, the sooner the reality of Asia’s Century will become apparent.

Based upon Gross Domestic Product (GDP), India has moved to the sixth place after the USA, China, Japan, Germany and the UK. Soon it will surpass the UK to move to the fifth position. However, GDP does not tell you the whole truth. The Purchasing Power Parity (PPP) is closer to ground reality. It not only tells you how much money you make, but also how much this money is worth. In other words, how much you can actually buy with that money. I feel that if we take PPP into consideration, then the standing of the countries will be different. Most likely, standing based upon this criterion will show China in the first place, America in second place and India in third place.

Even if we continue to use GDP as the only criterion for economic standings, things are going to change soon. I feel that by 2030, the standings are going to be most likely: China first, USA second, and India in the third place. I also feel that by 2050, it can be China first, India second, and USA in the third place. Sooner or later, the world is going to realize that Asia’s Century has already dawned.

China was the first to assert that the 21st century is going to be Asia’s century. It took much longer for India to accept the fact that the balance of power has shifted to the East, and Asia is now the leading region of the world, in contrast to the earlier two centuries (19th and 20th centuries) when Europe or America were the leading regions of the world. It is a welcome sign that India is now trying to correct its tilt to the West which it developed after the fall of the Soviet Union. Somehow, India has been unable to convince its neighbors or friends that it is seriously and sincerely trying to correct its tilt toward America and the west.

India has to do more to dispel the perception that it is lining up with America to contain China. It is true that India has some differences with China, particularly on the border dispute. However, India should realize that the border conflict is primarily a legacy of colonialism rather than a Chinese creation. I feel that in spite of the border conflict and other differences, India and China have many areas where their interests do converge.

Similarly, India has to dispel Russia’s wrong impression that India has prematurely written it off as a significant player in world politics. How can that be true when Russia is conducting probably the biggest war games in the history of mankind: more than 300,000 troops; 36,000 military vehicles; 1,000 aircraft; two Russian naval fleets and all airborne units; along with a contingent from China, are participating  in the Vostok 2018. India should understand and accept the fact that even today, Russia is a formidable military power capable of projecting its military power anywhere in the world and challenging any country in the world. Friendship with Russia remains India’s biggest asset even today.

China’s rise as a world power, when China became the manufacturing hub and the engine which drives the world economy, made India reconsider its perception of global realities, and in a way, convinced it of its own potential and claim to be a world power, because an Asian and a non-western country can also become the leading power of the world. In a way, China helped India to gain self-confidence and self-respect because if China can do it, then India can also do it. We can hope that India will continue and strengthen its Look East policy, and find more areas of commonality with China so that the two largest countries of Asia can work together for the dawn of a new era in the world, Asia’s Century.

It is a very good development that China is looking positively at India’s rise. India should also start to look at China more as a partner and less as a competitor in Asia’s Century. Together, the two countries can send a message to the world that unlike the western-dominated world, Asia’s Century will not mean domination and hegemony of Asia, but the end of domination and hegemony of any one country, region, race, color, religion or philosophy. Relations between countries, nations, regions, races, colors and religions will be based upon equality, tolerance and mutual respect. These principles were given to the world by Panchsheel (Five principles of peaceful coexistence), which were developed jointly by India and China. We should revive the spirit of Panchsheel today. This can form the basis for the emerging Multipolar world.

Dr. Sawraj Singh, MD F.I.C.S. is the Chairman of the Washington State Network for Human Rights and Chairman of the Central Washington Coalition for Social Justice. He can be reached at [email protected].