Editorial: The China-India Defense Dialogue

China's Silk Road (Land and Sea)

By Arushi Gupta

The two countries seek to improve cooperation ahead of next month’s summit.

Indian and Chinese officials concluded talks in Beijing earlier this month that covered a host of issues, including the establishment of new confidence building methods, joint efforts on humanitarian disasters at sea, as well as four additional points of emergency interaction between border personnel in the Ladakh region, at Track Junction, Panging Tso Lake, Demchock and Chumar. This last issue was driven by recent confrontations between Indian and Chinese troops along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Ladakh, one of which led to a stand-off that lasted a fortnight. The dialogue also discussed initiatives to counter terrorism.

In the background to this defense dialogue, the seventh, China has been touting its vision of linking two Indian projects (Mausam and Spice Route) with its One Belt One Road (OBOR) initiative, namely the Silk Road Economic Belt (SREB) and the 21st century Maritime Silk Route (MSR).

Indian's Mausam project

Apart from its economic implications, the OBOR initiative clearly seeks to strengthen China’s regional influence, while aspiring to connect China with Africa and Europe by road, sea and rail. Funding for the initiative will be provided through the new Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), which India has recently joined as a founding member. China has created a $40 billion fund along with a financing facility for OBOR through the AIIB, which is slated to become fully operational later this year.

However, the OBOR initiative raises potential concerns for some countries in Asia, notably Japan, India and Russia. Although China claims that the project is a “win-win” for all involved, for its part India sees a major risk in Chinese investment in Sri Lanka. Late last month, Chinese President Xi Jinping spoke of trilateral China-India-Sri Lanka cooperation with Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena. This worries New Delhi, although recent political changes in Sri Lanka have changed the equation somewhat, with the Sirisena government putting on hold the $1.5 billion Colombo Port City project, a key component of the MSR.

Read the full story at The Diplomat

Editorial: Can China Woo India to the Maritime Silk Road?

By Shannon Tiezzi

Aware of New Delhi’s mistrust, Beijing is trying to link its MSR to India’s own Project Mausam.

Last September, as Chinese President Xi Jinping promoted the Maritime Silk Road (MSR) during a tour of Indian Ocean states, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi prepared to launch India’s own plan for maritime integration: Project Mausam. That initiative envisions India as the center of the “Indian Ocean world,” which stretches from Africa in the west to Southeast Asia in the east. Like China’s Maritime Silk Road, Project Mausam would boost regional commercial and cultural linkages – but where the MSR would have all roads leading back to China, Project Mausam seeks to return India to its role as the center of Indian Ocean trade.

The dueling Indian Ocean plans are a direct sign of India’s mistrust of the MSR and of China’s Indian Ocean ambitions more generally. To try and assuage those concerns, Beijing is now pushing for a linkage between Project Mausam and the MSR. Chinese Ambassador to India, Le Yucheng, recently said in an interview with The Hindu that Beijing wants to link its MSR and Silk Road Economic Belt projects with New Delhi’s Project Mausam. “India is China’s natural and significant partner in promoting the ‘Belt and Road’ initiatives,” Le said, noting that India’s participation in the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank is a positive step in this direction. More generally, Le emphasized that “China is also willing to work with India to conduct trilateral cooperation and multilateral cooperation in the [Indian Ocean] region, to achieve win-win cooperation and common development.” 

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News Story: India counters Xi's 'belt and road' with competing project

Chinese president Xi Jinping's "belt and road" initiative to link China with with Europe through Central and Western Asia and to connect with Southeast Asian countries will be met with staunch challenges from India's own competing proposal, reports our Chinese-language sister paper Want Daily.

Xi's ambitious strategic plan, announced last year, comprises the Silk Road Economic Belt, a land-based belt from China via Central Asia and Russia to Europe, and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road, a maritime route through the Strait of Malacca to India, the Middle East and East Africa.

Pang Zhongying, an international relations professor at the Renmin University of China in Beijing, says while Xi has personally invited Indian prime minister Narendra Modi to join the belt and road initiative, New Delhi has never expressed a clear indication of support.

Instead, India will soon be launching its own Project Mausam, a transnational initiative meant to revive its ancient maritime routes and cultural linkages with countries in the region.

Read the full story at Want China Times

Editorial: Project Mausam - India's Answer to China's 'Maritime Silk Road'

By Akhilesh Pillalamarri

India is using its history, culture and geography to compete with China’s “Maritime Silk Road.”

This week, Chinese President Xi Jinping is visiting India. While relations between India and China are expected to improve as a result of Xi’s visit, India and China will continue to compete for influence in the region. This is evidenced by the fact that India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi will soon launch a new initiative designed to compete with China’s Maritime Silk Road (MSR), known as Project Mausam.

As Shannon pointed out yesterday, Xi Jinping is pushing China’s MSR in India’s backyard with the eager support of countries like Sri Lanka and the Maldives. Even India is interested in potentially joining the MSR as the plan is a boon to the economies of the entire region. However, India has to look out for its own strategic interests as well.

As myself and others on The Diplomat have argued, India is uniquely placed to play a major role in Indian Ocean security and trade. India’s location and power can serve to organize the states of the Indian Ocean littoral. Understanding this, Modi’s government is currently shaping Project Mausam. 

Read the full story at The Diplomat