THE GIST of Editorial for UPSC Exams : 07 September 2020 Keep talking (Indian Express)

Keep talking (Indian Express)

Mains Paper 3: Security
Prelims level: Misplaced approach
Mains level: Security challenges and their management in border areas

Context:

The good news from the interaction between Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and his Chinese counterpart, Gen Wei Fenghe, in Moscow late last week is that talks will continue at all levels.
The bad news, however, is that the talks don’t seem to be going anywhere. Beijing’s definition of the problem is rather different from Delhi’s.
Unsurprisingly, the goals of the two sides are divergentand that makes it harder to end the current military standoff in eastern Ladakh, now into its fifth month.
It is therefore unlikely that the scheduled talks between the external affairs minister, Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, and China’s top diplomat, Wang Yi, in Moscow this week will ease this stalemate.

Restoration of the status quo ante:

Continuous engagement is necessary to communicate Delhi’s political resolve that it will accept nothing less than a full restoration of the status quo antethat existed before the People’s Liberation Army’s aggression in Ladakh.
China, in contrast, wants to persuade India to accept the changed territorial disposition on the ground, forget the Galwan clash in June and resume normal economic and political cooperation.
India insists that the conflict on the border can no longer be separated from the rest of the bilateral relationship.
Beijing’s media keeps reminding that China is a much stronger power than India. It highlights India’s domestic economic difficulties and a faltering battle against the coronavirus.
Beijing is also betting that Indian governments in the past had acquiescedin China’s frequent nibbling of India’s Himalayan territory and that the present dispensation in Delhi has no choice but to lumpit.

Misplaced approach:

Delhi needs to disabuse itself of two unfortunate assumptions of the previous government.
It entertained the illusion that China’s preoccupations in the South China Sea will encourage Beijing to be more flexible in the Himalayas.
President Xi Jinping has repeatedly signalled he has enough military power and political will to fight on multiple fronts.
Delhi also believed that keeping strategic distance from Washington will win political rewards in Beijing.
Xi is saying that China can deal with the US on its own, and his priority with India is to redeem territories that Beijing has long claimed.
While the talks with China must continue, they will be productive only when Delhi can convince Beijing that India has options; and that it will take them and pay the necessary price.
India, then, must pursue three sets of actions parallel to the talks.

Way forward:

First, to demonstrate that its security forces will not only stand firm through the approaching harsh winter, but also intensify pro-active defence.
Second, to continue to raise the economic costs of Chinese territorial aggression. Delhi has already announced a series of steps; and must sustain the pressure through additional measures.
Third, Delhi needs to step up its security cooperation with its international partners to reduce the real power gap between India and China.

Conclusion:

But to break stalemate, Delhi must convince Beijing that India has options and the resolve to explore them.
Online Coaching for UPSC PRE Exam

E-Books Download for UPSC IAS Exams

General Studies Pre. Cum Mains Study Material

Prelims Questions:

Q.1) Consider the following statements with reference to the Central Sector Scheme of Integrated Cold Chain and Value Addition Infrastructure:

1. Under this, the Ministry of Food Processing Industries provides financial assistance in the form of grant-in-aid at the rate of 50 % for all states.
2. The assistance are also given for value addition and processing infrastructure subject to a maximum grant-in-aid of 10 crores per project for setting up integrated cold chain projects, including irradiation facility from the farm gate to the consumer.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2

Answer: B