Roving Periscope: Beware of China’s Modi praise—“Hindi-Chini Bhai Bhai 2.0”

Virendra Pandit 

New Delhi: Idiots in India are going gaga over China’s latest praise of its Enemy Number One!

In his famous treatise, The Art of War, ancient Chinese military strategist Sun Tzu (fifth century BC) advised the rulers to develop good information sources in the enemy country, specifying five types of intelligence gathering, including praising that country, and how to best manage each of them.

This is what China did in the 1950s during the spurious era of “Hindi-Chini Bhai Bhai”, pulled the wool on the eyes of Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, got the Leftist media praise, and discovered a key supporter in V K Krishna Menon, the Defense Minister and second most powerful man after the Prime Minister, who worked for China’s entry into the United Nations—in place of Taiwan.

After this anasthesia, China attacked India, circa 1962. The rest is a blood-soaked history.

Now, China is again praising India, even its democracy, and particularly Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government—without settling the border dispute.

The Dragon’s mouthpiece, Global Times, which allegedly praised India on January 2, also carried this gem only two months ago: “Since the founding of the People’s Republic of China, over 70 years ago, China has not invaded any country or occupied an inch of foreign land. Through peaceful negotiations, China has completely solved the land border disputes with 12 out of its 14 neighbors.”

Who said this? Lt. Gen. He Lei of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) and a former Vice President of the Academy of Military Sciences, claimed it while addressing the 10th Beijing Xiangshan Forum on October 29, 2023. The state-owned media carried the report on November 01, 2023.

So, China’s praise of India deserves to be thrown into the nearest dustbin. India must pull its socks up faster than ever, prepare, and wait for the next Chinese move.

Why did Global Times praise India now?

Because it could potentially make the BJP workers and voters complacent. Their voting percentage could drop and benefit the Modi detractors—and pro-China elements—if an unstable government comes to power in New Delhi.

How is China hoodwinking India? By praising it, and driving a wedge between New Delhi and Washington the way Moscow is also doing now.

According to reports, the media outlet said: India has become more strategically confident and proactive in creating and developing a “Bharat narrative”, praising its strides in the spheres of economic, social governance, and foreign policy under Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Its author, Zhang Jiadong, Director of the Center for South Asian Studies at Fudan University, Shanghai, highlighted India’s achievements over the past four years and acknowledged its economic growth, improvements in urban governance, and a shift in attitude towards international relations, notably with China.

“For example, when discussing the trade imbalance between China and India, Indian representatives earlier used to primarily focus on China’s measures to reduce the trade imbalance. But now they are placing more emphasis on India’s export potential,” Zhang said.

“In the political and cultural spheres, India has moved from emphasizing its democratic consensus with the West to highlighting the ‘Indian feature’ of democratic politics. Currently, there is even more emphasis on the Indian origins of democratic politics.”

Remember, the praise for ‘Indian features’ of democracy came from an authoritarian nation that has never seen an election! Of course, in 2023, China even claimed that it was the “world’s largest democracy.”

This shift, the author asserted, reflects India’s ambition to escape its historical colonial shadow and act as a “world mentor” politically and culturally.

Remember, also, that China has been attacking India to humble it and strip it of the badge of being a “world mentor!” Vishwaguru and Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam in the present context.

The article carefully omitted China’s attack on Eastern Ladakh and attempts to grab land in Arunachal Pradesh and Bhutan but applauded India’s foreign policy strategy. “Since Prime Minister Narendra Modi assumed power, he has advocated for a multi-alignment strategy, promoting India’s relations with the US, Japan, Russia, and other countries and regional organizations.”

“India has always considered itself a world power. However, it has only been less than 10 years since India shifted from multi-balancing to multi-alignment, and now it is rapidly transforming toward a strategy of becoming a pole in the multipolar world. The speed of such changes is rarely seen in the history of international relations,” he said.

“It appears that a transformed, stronger, and more assertive India has become a new geopolitical factor that many countries need to consider.”

Blah, blah, blah.