Watch recording on Youtube –
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7xAT8U1eZTE
Summary of Talk by Gp Capt RS Mehta on BRI at CENJOWS
on
05th December, 2024
Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) of China is changing the geographical realities of the globe in a very profound manner. South Asia is greatly impacted by it. By making factors like distances and geographical barriers redundant, BRI is attempting to change the very paradigm in which the geoeconomics and geopolitics work. In South Asia BRI is trying to overcome the natural obstacle of the Himalayan barrier that kept South Asia insulated from East China. By neutralizing geographical factors through technology and connectivity, China is causing slow integration of South Asia into Sino-sphere. Events on surface in the form of BRI projects in South Asia are manifestations of above phenomena. In his talk the speaker argued that study of the phenomena of BRI in South Asia through strategic lenses alone cannot explain it adequately. A historical perspective was also needed Speaker gave a brief account of the global nature of the complex project of BRI. He compared BRI with previous infrastructure projects executed by the west and highlighted the striking difference in cost, scope and complexity. After elucidating some important features of BRI, speaker narrowed down his talk to BRI’s activities in South Asia that directly impacted India. Major ongoing BRI projects in Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Maldives and Afghanistan were
discussed in detail and their geopolitical and strategic implications for India were highlighted. Thereafter, the conceptual and macro dimensions of the issue were explained. The phenomena of “the death of distance” and how tinkering of geographical features impacted the international relations in geopolitics were discussed. Parallels to BRI connectivity projects in South Asia were compared with the profound impact that discovery of new sea route to India via cape of good hope in1498 and construction of Trans-Siberian Railways in 1897, had on Asia and Europe. Some technological and economic trends triggered by BRI were discussed in detail next. Under this section the Speaker explained China’s controversial lending practices, contract management
practices, failure to generate significant local employment, economic instability and debt traps being caused by commercially unviable mega projects executed in fragile host countries were discussed with examples and statistics. Speaker brought out that more than export of Chinese goods and services, the export of Chinese technology and standards through BRI was the most noteworthy trend of BRI. High-speed rails, super-highways, gas pipelines, transmission grids, ports, powerplants and communication equipment were using exclusive Chinese technology and Chinese standards. Their spares and maintenance were creating long term Chinese dependencies. Therefore, creation of a Chinese global value chain and supply chain were also prime geo-economic trend of BRI. Speaker also stressed that India must pay more attention to the implications of Digital Silk Road and counter it effectively in its neighbor-hood. As per him “Much will be lost, if the digital battle is lost Speaker concluded by stressing the point that BRI in South Asia was logical consequence of a historical process that was not likely to stop due to short term economic, political, or strategic setbacks. He felt BRI was going to stay in South Asia. Its negative impact on India’s strategic equation with its neighbors was permanent. India must adopt to this new reality and recalibrate its diplomacy towards its neighbors. A long-term perspective in its relation with China has to be evolved taking all the above factors into consideration.
To watch the recording of above talk at CENJOWS on Youtube click this link – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7xAT8U1eZTE
