Santa Clara, China will never consider India an equal partner and by amassing troops on the border, Beijing is forcing New Delhi to spend more money on defense than capital investment, said Mukesh Aghi, a top American- The leading and strategic group of India-focused business based in India has said.
There has been a standoff between the armies of India and China since May 2020 and the border dispute has not been completely resolved yet, although several rounds of talks have taken place between the two sides at diplomatic and military levels.
“What we are seeing today is for the first time in mankind, a democratic nation of 1.4 billion people has shown rapid growth in the economic sector,” said Aghi, chairman of the US-India Strategic and Partnership Forum (USISPF). ,
Growing at seven-eight per cent, India's economy is now touching USD 4 trillion "When you compare it with the global GDP, which is about USD 105 trillion, it is still very small We are still about 3 to 3.5 percent of global GDP,” he told Indian-American entrepreneurs.His comments came when he participated in a panel discussion "New Global India" at TiECon, the largest gathering of entrepreneurs and tech professionals organized by TiE Silicon Valley from May 1 to 3.
“More importantly, what we are seeing is what challenges India is facing in trying to grow its economy. One of the biggest challenges before it is China. China will never consider India an equal partner in every aspect.
“China is a military power, an economic and a technology power.Basically, its aim is to establish dominance starting with the Asian Pacific region. “It sees India as a challenge,” Aghi said.
This is where India will have to strike a balance to continue its economic trajectory for the next 20-plus years without going to war with this neighbor with whom I share a 3,000-km border, he said.
"The Chinese realize this. So, what they are doing is a strategy of a thousand cuts.They have shifted one lakh soldiers to the border. India will have to transfer 100,000 troops. So, it is spending less in the capital defense budget, on capital investment, and more on operations. That is China's strategy," he said.
At the same time, Aghi said, the US views India as an important partner.
He said the US conducts more joint exercises with India than any other country in the world.China is also the biggest threat to the United States, he said.
For the first time since World War II, the US faces such a major opponent, which unlike its previous adversaries such as Russia, is both a military and economic power, Aghi said.
Participating in the panel discussion, Satyan Gajwani, Vice President, Times Internet, said that in the last five years, India has seen a political machine that is responsive and proactive.
“The amount of policy development that is taking place around financial services in India is breathtaking to the extent that you feel as if the regulator is as present as the latest startup. Whereas here you watch congressional hearings and you see congressmen asking CEOs how to fix their WiFi,'' he said.Motwani said, "India is now an idea that is quite global in its reach, and not a nation-state that is defined within the geographical boundaries of India."
Supreme Court lawyer J Sai Deepak told the audience that “India cannot hope to move forward on a purely economic basis without addressing some civilizational issues. I believe this is what will ultimately give it the strength to sit at the high table of the great powers.
“Because if you are weak internally, no matter how much strength you exert on the outside, there is a fundamental hollowness in your strength or your being that will continue to haunt you. This may also benefit those who are interested in seeing India crushed,” said Sai Deepak.
There has been a standoff between the armies of India and China since May 2020 and the border dispute has not been completely resolved yet, although several rounds of talks have taken place between the two sides at diplomatic and military levels.
“What we are seeing today is for the first time in mankind, a democratic nation of 1.4 billion people has shown rapid growth in the economic sector,” said Aghi, chairman of the US-India Strategic and Partnership Forum (USISPF). ,
Growing at seven-eight per cent, India's economy is now touching USD 4 trillion "When you compare it with the global GDP, which is about USD 105 trillion, it is still very small We are still about 3 to 3.5 percent of global GDP,” he told Indian-American entrepreneurs.His comments came when he participated in a panel discussion "New Global India" at TiECon, the largest gathering of entrepreneurs and tech professionals organized by TiE Silicon Valley from May 1 to 3.
“More importantly, what we are seeing is what challenges India is facing in trying to grow its economy. One of the biggest challenges before it is China. China will never consider India an equal partner in every aspect.
“China is a military power, an economic and a technology power.Basically, its aim is to establish dominance starting with the Asian Pacific region. “It sees India as a challenge,” Aghi said.
This is where India will have to strike a balance to continue its economic trajectory for the next 20-plus years without going to war with this neighbor with whom I share a 3,000-km border, he said.
"The Chinese realize this. So, what they are doing is a strategy of a thousand cuts.They have shifted one lakh soldiers to the border. India will have to transfer 100,000 troops. So, it is spending less in the capital defense budget, on capital investment, and more on operations. That is China's strategy," he said.
At the same time, Aghi said, the US views India as an important partner.
He said the US conducts more joint exercises with India than any other country in the world.China is also the biggest threat to the United States, he said.
For the first time since World War II, the US faces such a major opponent, which unlike its previous adversaries such as Russia, is both a military and economic power, Aghi said.
Participating in the panel discussion, Satyan Gajwani, Vice President, Times Internet, said that in the last five years, India has seen a political machine that is responsive and proactive.
“The amount of policy development that is taking place around financial services in India is breathtaking to the extent that you feel as if the regulator is as present as the latest startup. Whereas here you watch congressional hearings and you see congressmen asking CEOs how to fix their WiFi,'' he said.Motwani said, "India is now an idea that is quite global in its reach, and not a nation-state that is defined within the geographical boundaries of India."
Supreme Court lawyer J Sai Deepak told the audience that “India cannot hope to move forward on a purely economic basis without addressing some civilizational issues. I believe this is what will ultimately give it the strength to sit at the high table of the great powers.
“Because if you are weak internally, no matter how much strength you exert on the outside, there is a fundamental hollowness in your strength or your being that will continue to haunt you. This may also benefit those who are interested in seeing India crushed,” said Sai Deepak.
