China’s Expansionism

What is the issue?

India’s political and security establishment needs a strategy in light of China’s naval expansion.

What is the China’s grand strategy to be regional hegemon?

China’s grand strategy includes the following:

South China Sea: China has built runways and fortified seven artificial islands in the Spratly islands in the South China Sea.
North of India: Garrisons, airfields and missile sites linked by modern road-rail networks underpin China’s dominant posture on the Tibetan plateau.
The Xining-Lhasa rail link is progressing towards Nepal.
East of India: China’s Yunan province will gain access to the Bay of Bengal via rail, highway and pipeline, linking it to the deep-water port being built by China at Kyaukpyu in Myanmar.
China decided to develop Sonadia Islands as a deep sea port for Bangladesh and development of Chittagong port.
West of India: China constructed the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) which will create access to the Arabian Sea from Xinjiang to the Pakistani port of Gwadar via Gilgit-Baltistan.
China has set up its first overseas military base at Djibouti on the Bab el-Mandeb.
South of India: China has built a new harbour in Hambantota and modernised Colombo port for Sri Lanka.
All three ports (Gwadar, Hambontota and Kyakpyu) could provide bases or sanctuaries to PLAN ships and submarines deployed in the Indian Ocean.

What is India’s perception about China’s encirclement?

The Chinese string of pearls strategy around Indian Ocean has encircled India strategically and endangering its strategic interest in the region.
The recent Chinese sale of eight diesel submarines to Pakistan and two to Bangladesh provides conclusive evidence of India’s “strategic encirclement”.

What is China’s view about encirclement theory of India?

China mocked at the India’s “encirclement” thesis and maintain that China neither wants war, nor seeks further territorial gains.
China looks for economic engagement and friendship, which India has consistently failed to provide by playing the Dalai Lama card, cosying up to the US and withholding cooperation on the “Belt and Road” initiative.
While China looms large in India’s security perspectives, the former does not regard India as a threat or even a competitor.
China is irritated with India’s attitude towards the Indian Ocean and its growing maritime relations with the US, Japan and Australia.

What do China assume about themselves in the international world?

China’s self-perception has always been that of a benign and benevolent great power.
The Chinese nurtured a deep-seated “victim mentality” as a relic of China’s subjugation and humiliation by foreign powers during the 19th century.
The post-Civil War leadership in China retained a clear vision of their aims: Hegemony in Asia, acquisition of nuclear weapons and the incorporation of Tibet into the People’s Republic.

Does India need to be aware of anything?

As Indian diplomats and security experts took note of two strategic reasons because of the increasing growth of PLAN and the creation of the SCS island-fortresses.
First, These bases can be used to forward-deploy ships, aircraft and missiles to threaten US, India or other naval forces,
Second, such deployments could extend the operational range of PLAN surface and air forces by as much as 600-900 miles.
The Chinese are now closer to India’s Andaman & Nicobar Islands and can closely monitor the activites of tri service command in the island.
In the near future, when PLAN is the world’s second most powerful navy, it can contemplate a re-enactment of 1962 in the Bay of Bengal to cut India down to size again.
The political leadership and the armed forces have to react against a PLAN amphibious assault, on the Andamans, supported by one or more aircraft carriers.
India have a modern navy at sea, but without a national security doctrine or strategy, its difficult to deter the enemy or protect the India’s strategic interests.

Source: Indian Express