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Showing posts from April, 2023

Indo-China border dispute

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                                 Indo-China border strategy Importance of disputed regions Soon after its independence in 1947, India was one of the first few countries that recognized the People’s Republic of China. Since then, India and China relations have been harmonious, but only till the mid-50s. In the late 50s when China intruded into Tibet, Dalai Lama in 1959, fled to India and took refuge. That’s when India and China started walking apart, China put India at fault for accepting Dalai Lama and refugees. The conflict grew to the war of 1962, and since then India and China have had border disputes. Areas under conflict are: 1.       1.    The northwestern Himalayan region near Ladakh is called Aksai-Chin. 2.       2.   Doklam plateau in the Sikkim and Bhutan region. 3.          3.   Arunachal Pradesh  ...

FOIP: Japan's ocean counter to China

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FOIP - Free and open Indo-Pacific  Japan's FOIP is seen as a response to China's Belt and Road Initiative, which has been criticized for its lack of transparency and potential to create debt traps for participating countries. Japan's FOIP is expected to strengthen ties with its allies in the region and promote a more stable and prosperous Indo-Pacific. A variety of challenges, including piracy, terrorism, the spread of WMD, and natural disasters are present throughout the Indo-Pacific region.   Japan seeks to ensure a rules-based international order, including the rule of law, freedom of navigation and overflight, the resolution of conflicts via peaceful means, and the promotion of free trade in order to make the Indo-Pacific free and open as "international public goods". image source: Ministry of foreign affairs of Japan On 20 th  March during his visit to India, Japan’s prime minister Fumio Kishida announced the Free and Open Indo-Pacific (FOIP) strategy, which ...

India's Counter strategy against China

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  DIAMOND NECKLACE STRATEGY As China is trying to dominate its presence in the Indian Ocean with its String of Pearls strategy, India has made its own moves. Firstly reviving the QUAD. Standing with The United States of America, Japan,  and Australia, India is working towards a free, prosperous, and restriction-free Indo-Pacific region, for world trade.  Then comes the Diamond Necklace Strategy, a counter-encircling policy of India against China, improving its relationship with strategically placed countries around China. Delhi made really good relations with countries like Singapore, Oman, and Indonesia, as it got direct military access to these country's ports in 2018 and access to Seychelle's port back in 2015. The most important access here is the Sabang Port, of Indonesia. This port is situated at the mouth of Malacca Strait, which is one of the world's most famous choke points. Around 70%  of China's oil import moves through this strait, and the presence of the...

The iron silk road

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  Picture credits: Daily Sabah The Silk Road was a network of trade routes that connected Asia, Europe, and Africa during ancient times. The Silk Road was not a single road, but a complex network of trade routes that connected China, India, Persia, the Middle East, and Europe over thousands of miles. The many populations along the path were able to exchange goods, concepts, and cultural traditions because of the Silk Road. Together with silk, traders also dealt with precious metals, pottery, jade, ivory, and spices. The rise of civilizations along the Silk Road's course was significantly influenced by it. It promoted the expansion of Buddhism, Islam, and Christianity as well as the development of science and technology. The mastery of trade routes brought wealth and power to those who held them, hence the Silk Road also played a role in the expansion and downfall of empires. This silk road is being revived by China now, through its Belt and Road initiative. The Chinese government u...

The Great Chinese plan

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  China shares its land borders with 14 countries but has border disputes with 17 countries! Before 1947 East Turkestan and Tibet existed as individual countries. In 1949 China invaded East Turkestan and claimed it as a part of itself. 1950 China captured Tibet too, due to which then Dalai lama, Tenzin Gyatso, had to flee to India to protect himself, and since then relations between India and China have been noxious. This is what Beijing has been doing for decades, trying to conquer and increase its territory. But now this Chinese threat is not just limited to China’s neighboring countries, it is going worldwide since China has acquired some territories in the pacific ocean and the Indian Ocean or we can say the Indo-pacific region, which stretches from the coast of South Africa to Australia and America.    China has been conquering lands from small and economically weak countries, with its debt trap policy. In simple words, Beijing gives loan to small and economically we...