PM Modi steps on China's toes yet again: This time in Myanmar

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has ticked off China once again on foreign soil though without naming the Asian giant neighbour for which he has genuine admiration. He did so twice in his speeches at the 12th India-ASEAN summit on 12 November and the 9th East Asia Summit on 13 November, both held in Naypyitaw, Myanmar. Modi’s indirect but obvious dig at China has come hours ahead of his first-ever bilateral meeting with his Chinese counterpart Li Keqiang on the sidelines of East Asia Summit in Naypyitaw on 13 November. One has to wait and watch for the Chinese reaction. Coming days will tell whether the Chinese reaction to Modi’s remarks will be as fast and furious as it was when PM Modi had made China-specific remarks during his Japan visit in late August and early September this year. [caption id=“attachment_1774599” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  AFP Image[/caption] Days after Modi’s China-specific remarks in Japan in context of South China Sea, China launched a big incursion into the Chumar sector of Ladakh in Jammu and Kashmir. Significantly, the incursion continued even after Chinese President Xi Jinping was in India on his maiden visit, an unprecedented situation. The Chinese incursion was eventually fully lifted only on 30 September; over ten days after Xi left India. Now consider the remarks of PM Modi in Naypyitaw. This is what he said in his speech at the 12th India-ASEAN summit on 12 November: “There is wave of change in the world. New realities are emerging in the changed world. Globalisation is a fact of life… therefore, maritime security has become even more important. We all have the responsibility that we all follow international law and norms on maritime issues, as we do in the realm of air passage. In future, we will also need this in space. For peace and stability in South China Sea, everyone should follow international norms and law.” PM Modi reiterated his concerns over China’s shenanigans in South China Sea at the East Asia Summit on Thursday. This is what he said: “In a world of inter-dependence and globalization, there is no option but to follow international laws and norms. This also applies to maritime security. For this reason, following international law and norms is important for peace and stability in South China Sea as well. This also includes the 1982 UN Convention on Law of the Sea, which should be the basis for resolving disputes peacefully. We also hope that the efforts to conclude a Code of Conduct on South China Sea by a process of consensus would be successful soon.” Significantly, the Prime Minister’s remarks in Naypyitaw have come days before the armies of India and China are to hold joint exercises in Pune on 16 November. The Exercise Hand-in-Hand 2014 will be the fourth joint training exercise by the Indian Army with People’s Liberation Army of China. While the second edition of the exercise was held at Belgaum in 2008, it has been conducted twice in China in 2007 and 2013. According to the Indian defence ministry, the exercise is planned at the company level with respective battalion headquarters controlling the training. The training and manoeuvres, to be conducted at Pune’s Aundh Military Cantonment Pune are to be supervised by a Joint Directing Panel comprising senior officials of both the nations. Helicopters of Indian Air Force will also be taking active part in the various maneuvers planned in the exercise. Now let us look at the big picture. This needs to be put in perspective. On the one hand, the Modi government is engaging with China in a pro-active manner and China too is reciprocating positively, a proof of which is the Chinese pledge to invest $20 billion in India over the coming years. On the other hand, China has been pushing the envelope through repeated incursions, the last of which reported earlier this month when Chinese troops entered Indian waters in Pangong Lake in Ladakh. So far, so good. Chinese incursions can be tackled – and are being tackled. But a bigger and more intractable problem in India-China relations seems to be in store. The Modi government has given a go-ahead to building over 2000-km-long network of roads along China border, particularly in Arunachal Pradesh, to catch up with the vast border infrastructure network, civil as well as military, already in place. But China is upset over the Indian infrastructure push in the border areas. Recently China’s foreign office spokesman Hong Lei had warned India in this context thus: ‘The boundary issue between China and India is left by the colonial past. We need to deal with this issue properly. Before the border problem is solved, we hope the Indian side will not take any action that could further complicate the relevant issue, so as to preserve the current situation of peace and stability in the border area." The Chinese strategy is simple: keep the boundary issue deadlocked and oppose the Indian infrastructural development along the borders arguing that India should not go ahead with this till the boundary is settled. The Modi government has already taken exception to Chinese threatening tactics. Union home minister Rajnath Singh had used exceptionally strong words on 16 October when he said nobody should “threaten or warn India”, adding “India has grown in strength. Both sides should resolve the border issue through dialogue." This issue may well snowball in the coming weeks and months. The writer is FirstPost Consulting Editor and a strategic analyst who tweets @Kishkindha.