Conceptually speaking, the characterisation of CPEC as a game changer towards an eternal strategic partnership between China and Pakistan is beyond reproach.
But unfortunately this envisaged economic bonanza is an eyesore for some countries. India in particular is making strenuous efforts to sabotage the implementation of CPEC. Repeated attacks on security forces in Balochistan by the Balochistan Liberation Army, the assault on Karachi Stock Exchange on June 20, 2020 and targeting a bus on July 14, 2021 which killed nine Chinese engineers, three Pakistanis and 28 other working on Hydro-power project at Dasu Dam, all had the Indian imprint, related to undermining CPEC.
According to media reports, a special desk has been created in RAW to undermine and thwart the implementation of CPEC about which intelligence agencies of Pakistan have gathered authentic information. The RAW chief reports directly to the Indian Prime Minister who is personally supervising the venture.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during his interaction with Chinese leaders, reportedly expressed concerns over Chinese investment in Pakistan under CPEC but they rightly refused to entertain Indian reservations in this regard. The Indian position is that the corridor would be passing through disputed territory (Gilgit-Baltistan). It may be pointed out that India had also raised the same argument with the Asian Development Bank which was one of the financiers of the Diamer-Bhasha Dam and the bank consequently showed some reluctance in fulfilling its commitments after the Indian objections.
RAW has also been backing and sponsoring the insurgency in Balochistan and cross-border terrorism using Afghan territory. The nexus between RAW, TTP, and the Afghan intelligence (NDS) is a well-known fact. RAW has established sanctuaries and training camps for the terrorists on Afghan soil. Pakistan persistently raised this issue with the government of Ashraf Ghani, urging him to abolish those camps which were being used by RAW to destabilise Balochistan and undermine CPEC. But it remained indifferent to Pakistani requests and allowed the Indians to use Afghan soil, sponsoring acts of terrorism in Pakistan, particularly Balochistan.
The arrest of Kalbhushan Jhadav in Balochistan and his confessions left no doubt about India’s support to insurgency in Balochistan and sponsoring of acts of terrorism within Pakistan. The renewed spate of acts of terrorism in Balochistan and KP also testifies to Indian involvement.
The modus operandi of RAW for sabotaging CPEC seems to exacerbate the security situation in Pakistan through acts of terrorism and consequently the creation of an ambience of despondency among the masses as well as fomenting mistrust between China and Pakistan, where her efforts have hit the wall. Indian antics have further strengthened the resolve of the Pakistani and Chinese leaders to pay unruffled attention to the completion of the projects under CPEC.
Undermining CPEC is also a part of the US-India nexus designed to contain China. A sustained campaign has been unleashed to create doubts about CPEC and the likely benefits accruing to Pakistan. The biggest argument being advanced by the US is that Chinese loans would exponentially add to the debt burden of the country and Pakistan like Sri Lanka would be caught in the Chinese debt trap. The contention in this propaganda is contrary to the ground realities. The major portion of the CPEC projects are direct Chinese investments in Pakistan. Chinese loans only constitute 6 percent of the total debt burden of Pakistan. The reality is that these loans have been advanced on rates lower than given by international lending agencies. The role of a spoiler of the peace process in Afghanistan by India was also a part of the strategy to sabotage CPEC and harm Pakistan’s strategic interests.
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India has also unleashed a sustained campaign to malign Pakistan as revealed by the EU Disinfo Lab recently. It has not only failed to respond to positive overtures by Pakistan for beginning a new chapter of amity between the two countries and peaceful resolution of the disputes between them, but it also continues on the path of confrontation wedded to undermining interests of Pakistan by all means.
It is pertinent to point out that both Pakistan and China have repeatedly asked India to join CPEC and play its role in the shared economic prosperity of the region, as envisaged in the objectives of the BRI initiative of the Chinese President XI Jinping. The concept of ‘One-Belt One-Road’ envisions partnership with countries along the route to develop an infrastructure which is absolutely essential for sustainable development of any country. China has also established the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB)l, which is a major step towards providing required finances to partner countries for the development of necessary infrastructure in their lands to be able to contribute to the shared economic prosperity and making the project a success as envisaged. It is estimated that the annual trade volume between China and the Belt and Road countries will surpass $2.5 trillion in a decade or so, changing the political and economic landscape of the world.
It is indeed a pity that the Indian leadership has failed to comprehend the benefits of CPEC to the region including India and is pursuing a policy of undermining it at the behest of her strategic partners who are hell-bent to stop china from emerging as the major economic and military power of the world, which in any case is bound to fail. China is now unstoppable. India’s own economic development and prosperity are inextricably linked to peace and security in the South Asian region. It is therefore in India’s own long-term interest to abandon its hostile posture towards Pakistan as well as the attempts to sabotage CPEC. Indian leaders need to understand that their attempts to destabilise the region as the strategic partner of the USA will ultimately also undermine the strategic interests of their country.
Published in The Nation