Do not surrender to China, do not depend on the U.S., Pg6

Key Highlights:

• India faces a strategic dilemma, urged not to surrender to China's economic influence nor depend solely on the unpredictable United States.
• An influential business lobby advocates for an economic reset with China, citing India's reliance on Chinese technology and supply chains.
• The article argues this approach risks deepening asymmetric dependency and ignores China's consistent hostile actions.
• It proposes India should focus on strategic patience, building supply chain resilience, and strengthening domestic manufacturing capabilities.

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Detailed Insights:

• The Trump administration's erratic policy shifts, including tariffs and H-1B visa tightening, created strategic anxiety in New Delhi.
• The business lobby's call for a China reset is criticized for prioritizing short-term balance sheets over long-term national security.
• China's aggression includes salami-slicing tactics at Depsang (2013), Chumar (2014), Doklam (2017), and Galwan Valley (2020) along the Line of Actual Control (LAC).
• Beijing also asserts claims over Arunachal Pradesh, issues stapled visas, and employs economic coercion by withholding critical industrial inputs.
• China's military support for Pakistan during Operation Sindoor (May 2025), providing tactical satellite data, is highlighted as a hostile act.
• China has consistently blocked India's aspirations for UNSC permanent membership and Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) membership.
• Deepening economic ties without resolving border disputes could create an economic "kill-switch" for China over the Indian economy.
• India's post-Galwan restrictions on Chinese apps and investments are considered crucial diplomatic leverage that should not be surrendered.

Key Concepts Involved:

• Salami-slicing tactics: A strategy of gradually seizing territory or influence through a series of small, incremental actions, each too minor to provoke a major response.
• Line of Actual Control (LAC): The demarcation line that separates Indian-controlled territory from Chinese-controlled territory in the Sino-Indian border dispute.
• Economic coercion: The use of economic measures, such as trade restrictions or sanctions, to pressure another country into changing its policies.
• Supply chain resilience: The ability of a supply chain to resist disruption and recover quickly from unexpected events.