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US Should Adopt 4 Way
Partnership Policy In South Asia
Is US better off by building partnership with
India to contain China or it has some other better policy
options?
It seems the policy makers in Washington sold
the idea of building partnership with India to the US
Administration without properly looking into other policy
options
In this regard, the fundamental question
behind this policy option is that what does US administration
really want to achieve by building partnership with India? Two
main motives seem to have evolved this policy: future economic
indicators and emerging security needs.
All major economic indicators point towards
China and India as emerging first and third largest economies in
the world within next 25 years leaving US economy in the middle
of first largest Chinese economy and third largest Indian
economy.
Keeping this emerging scenario in mind, US
policy makers decided to collaborate with India, the future
third largest economy, to compete and contain China, the
expected first largest economy.
The idea of containing China led US policy
makers in the direction of formation of partnership with India.
They definitely ignored or chose to ignore many important
factors while devising this policy.
For example, US policy makers ignored the
fact that China is a non expansionist power. To gain influence
in its region and around the globe, China wisely uses strategic
trade agreements. Whereas, United States employees force
oriented policies to maintain its influence around the globe;
these two diametrically opposed strategies are generating
equally diametrically opposite results for China and the United
States in the global arena.
It is evident from India’s past that its
establishment doesn’t mind using force wherever and whenever it
is necessary to protect Indian interests.
US policy makers ignored this historical fact
that a partnership between two expansionist forces always ends
up in confrontation due to eventual clash of interests. 19th
and 20th century clashes are pretty much indicative
of this harsh reality. Two world wars were the ultimate result
of clash of interests.
Careful analysis shows, over the course of
time, US-India partnership will collapse and US investment in
India in terms of time, energy and resources will be lost.
Are there any better options for the United
States to protect its interest particularly in South Asia and
generally around the globe?
It is evident from the current global picture
that US policies stemmed from cold war are not effectively
working in the changed world. The outdated policies are
generating more problems for the US administration than helping
it.
In South Asian context, US need to develop
four way partnerships. From four way partnership we mean
partnership between US, China, India and Pakistan. Four way
partnerships will protect US interest in South Asia; uplift
South Asia by resolving regional conflicts through mutual
cooperation and partnerships, and guarantee regional security.
In the global context, US administration
should carefully analyze Chinese tactics to protect her
interests around the globe. Chinese are spending a lot less
money than United States and making bigger gains in financial and trade terms. It doesn’t hurt to
readjust or change outdated polices and
adopt new ones.
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