A multi-pronged and hard stance of India from the border to financial market has forced China to tone down its aggression.
India’s military had been mobilised in equal measure to counter China’s belligerence along the Line of Actual Control (LAC). PM Modi visit to Leh for motivating soldiers was a clear message to China. His emphatic assertion that India is ready to fight a bloody battle if it is required to defeat the expansionist Xi Jinping’s China could not have been more candid. It showed the world India’s resolve to fight and overcome any challenge to its strategic interests.
This was the second time in era of BJP government that the Chinese have been pushed back- first was in 2017 and second in 2020. Aided by his minister, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Home Minister Amit Shah, National Security Adviser Ajit Doval and External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, the Prime Minister appears to be evolving a China policy that aims to tackle Beijing’s expansionist and predatory policies in almost every sector, which was clearly visible after the ban of 59 Chinese apps in India.
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PM Modi have also motivated the Indian tech industries to develop Indian software’s and Apps. From banning of Chinese origin apps to preventing a free run for Chinese investors in India’s tech and power sector, India appears determined not to let China use its free market.
The withdrawal of the Chinese PLA soldiers from the Galwan Valley and other locations in eastern Ladakh is just the start of what is perceived to be a long-drawn, complicated process. India will ensure that it must end at complete disengagement and de-escalation across the Line of Actual Control.
NSA Ajit Doval’s talk with Wang Yi, China’s Foreign Minister on Sunday, came on the back of intense negotiations between military commanders on the ground. The two-hour long discussion between Wang and Doval appears to have convinced Beijing to cut its losses and agree to disengagement on the border.
After facing intense scrutiny in United States and in India, the parent company of video sharing app TikTok, Byte Dance is considering changing the corporate structure of the app. BSNL and MTNL have been also asked to stop importing equipment’s from China.
The senior level executive in the Chinese Internet giants is mulling options such as creating a new management board for TikTok or establishing a headquarters for the app outside of China to distance the app’s operations from the country. It was reported earlier that the Narendra Modi government’s retaliatory ban on 59 Chinese app in response to the latter’s unprovoked aggression along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) would potentially cause a loss of $6 billion to Byte Dance.
Prime Minister’s call for ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’, have open the mind of people to not buy Chinese product and also not to use Chinese apps. Traders associations have been calling to boycott Chinese products. The Indian government is now considering trade and procurement curbs targeting China in many sectors and weighing a decision to keep out Chinese companies like Huawei from the 5G trial.
This extra effort could potentially cost Chinese companies billions of dollars. The combined estimated loss for these apps and Chinese companies is around $50 billion. This number will only go upwards.
All this clearly shows that India will not relent on Chinese pressure along the LAC and will be ready for any eventuality – be it a bloody skirmish or war.
India’s rapid military build-up by “mirroring” the PLA deployments, with the induction of over 30,000 troops and heavy weaponry all along the LAC in eastern Ladakh certainly surprised the Chinese. Similarly, Sukhoi-30 MKI and MiG-29 fighters, Apache attack and Chinook heavy-lift helicopters are continuing with their round-the-clock operations after being inducted into the forward airbase.
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