In the past several years, both academics and policy analysts have widely commented on the economic resurgence of China and India. However, the strategic implications of the simultaneous rise of these Asian giants – both of whom are deeply suspicious of one another – are perhaps less well understood. The political leadership in both these states has been making largely positive statements regarding their bilateral relationship and their re-emergence in Asia and beyond. According to the Chinese President Hu Jintao, Beijing has always sought to promote “good neighborliness and friendly cooperation” with India from strategic and long-term perspectives.  And the Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has been on record saying that there was enough “space in the world to accommodate the ambitions of both India and China.”

 

As one observer recently argued with reference to supposed race between India and China, it is not about which of these power achieves great power status first, but about which one leaves a lasting impact. Similarly, it may not matter when China finally achieves the Great Power status but how it gets there and what tools it has to help it survive in that league.

Tragically, few in the country are seized of such grave dangers concurrently building up against India. But what’s unforgiveable is the patent disinterest of the Congress leadership to rectify and energize the Manmohan Singh leadership, or replace him if he cannot change. A strange and hopeless paralysis has taken hold of India.