We need the will and the skill

Abstract

Taking a cue from China, we must adopt a soft speech and strong stick approach, write Charan Singh and Arvind Virmani. Recent developments in the Maldives and Sri Lanka suggest a need for a re-examination of India’s relations with its neighbours. Some political pundits have expressed concern about China’s build-up on the Tibetan plateau, its plans to build numerous dams on the Brahmaputra and takeover of the management of Gwadar, a commercial port in Pakistan. China’s growing defence expenditures ($119 billion in 2013) — three times that of India’s $40 billion (2013-14) — have allowed it to extend its naval presence into the Indian Ocean, making it imperative for us to use our limited resources more efficiently. Read more at: https://www.hindustantimes.com/india/we-need-the-will-and-the-skill/story-mCxAUzNVpgPg6k015zOXQL.html