Friendships are defined in many ways. Ways to define them in this context are to have common enemies, common ideologies, maybe a common ethos/culture, as a glue. Maybe we will all be happy making gazillions of money and go to the moon to find the resources to live a wasteful lifestyle, like a beer buddy. But, all of these are far fetched, in the near/medium term.One would want PRC to become a friend as it would be costly to be India's enemy.
The fact of the matter is, the Indian Republic and PRC are at best competitors, in the world we live in today. What needs to be realized here is Chou en lai was visiting India with Hindi Chini Bhai Bhai proposals, just as they were building a road through Aksai Chin –with an India sleeping at the wheels. The Indian state, had the option to build a nuclear weapon in the mid 50’s itself, by Nehru’s own admission, but decided not to do so. I will guarantee one thing, the future events of 62, 65, 71 would have been different, if the option was exercised. I am not claiming necessarily better as that would be conjecture but certainly different.
Anyways, we have our history to learn from. This history tells us that China, which did not have a border with India, till the British ruled India, were given the opportunity on a platter to extend their borders and gobble up a nation, almost the size of India, without any opposition from the only country in the world that had any reason to object. An area, which should have rightly acted as a natural buffer was a strategic loss for India. But, it did not stop there. PRC continues to support TSP, with the sole aim of keeping India locked to the sub continent. Most analysts are yet to figure out, why PRC helped TSP go nuclear? PRC’s subtle (and sometimes not so subtle) support for Bangladesh, Burma, the communists in Nepal and although at a reduced level now, direct support for Marxist and separatist groups in India are all a carefully calibrated strategy. These strategies are not of a friend. They are of an opponent, if not an enemy.
So, why would PRC not want us as a friend, as they are now in occupation of the strategic pieces of property, giving them an edge over India. India will essentially need to play the role of a challenger to the status quo, if it hopes to regain its buffer and lost territories.
Can someone assert that there will not be another leader in China, who will take the view (Mao) that there is no such historical friendship between India and China? Is there any China analyst, who can predict the future course of the Indo-China relationship?
The question is, and I am afraid, I know/fear the answer, does India see these acts and deem them to be acceptable to its ideas of India’s place in the region?
The difference in yield to weight ratios between “Thin Manâ€I wish you would expound on qualitative parity.