{EOP}Pakistan-China Relations: India’s abiding worry

The thought that Pakistan refuses to fall under its thumb seems to have caused India serious psychological problems. Imagine, its campaigning against Pakistan’s acquisition of peaceful nuclear assistance from China to help it tide over the crippling energy shortfall and promote civilian and humanitarian causes. At the same time, it is keen to relish the American favours granted to it, indisputably, against international law and against all canons of nuclear non-proliferation that the US, deceptively, preaches to the rest of the world.

There is little doubt about the US intention behind the so-called civil nuclear cooperation agreement with India, i.e. to prod New Delhi to divert its own resources to firm up its nuclear arsenal to be able to stand up against Beijing, the fast emerging bugbear of the Americans. Yet, India feels the compulsion to express its concern at the “lack of transparency” that China is showing while extending nuclear cooperation to Pakistan. Somehow, in its obsession of Pakistan, India fails to appreciate that not only has the Pak-China friendship any ulterior designs, unlike the US-India’s, but also it has stood unscathed by such squeamish attempts at causing dents in it for well over six decades.
India’s policies towards the neighbouring countries leave little room for doubt that it is desperate to wear the mantle of a regional hegemon. While others, cowed down by its bullying tactics or the mere sight of its rising might, have fallen in line, Pakistan, for all the troubles for which it is victim to its machinations, has continued to resist its hegemonic moves. The resource-rich, nuclear power of 170 million odd inhabitants has no inclination of succumbing to its pressure. Obviously, it is the feeling that comes with frustrated ambitions that is causing India sleepless nights, compelling it to think of ways to create more headaches for Pakistan. It must be said to the shame of the US and its allies that they have abandoned their core values and fallen prey to its guiles.
China and some other mainly friendly Muslim countries, however, stand out for sticking to principled position about their relations with Pakistan. One hears, though, New Delhi’s plaintive calls to Beijing not to adopt a separate visa system for the Kashmiris who are under its forcible occupation. India is also unhappy at the prospects of China voting against its permanent UNSC membership without understanding the logic of ineligibility of membership of that august body for a country that goes back on its own commitments contained in its resolutions that it has willingly voted for. On top of that, its forces are keeping under their bayonets a state where it pledged to hold a UN-sponsored plebiscite for its citizens to decide their future.