All came with the intention of business purposes, all talked business first, other things came later. By other things, I mean bilateral relations, international affairs, climate change, terrorism etc etc. In the new global scenario, one nation eyes other nation with business purposes in mind, self-interest being the prime motive and by the way discusses other things like already mentioned terrorism, climate change, cultural relations and improvement of bilateral relations. Of the five leaders who visited India this year, here too I am pointing out leaders of five powerful nations. While some nations gained more by extracting maximum, others shared fifty percent of the gains. Beginning from David Cameroon, British PM, Barack Obama from US, Nicholas Sarkozy from France, Wen Jia Bao from China and the last one Dmitry Medvedev from Russia – India saw an array of big guys in 2010.
I don’t want to go through the visits of each one here as it would take away a good deal of my time and at present I would like to mention the visit of Chinese Premier Wen Jia Bao from Peoples’ Democratic Republic of China. As China’s bonhomie is always with Pakistan, India’s other neighbouring country and ‘traditional rival’ neither India nor China would have expected from each other except certain trade pacts for namesake. The expectations of two nations proved true, only trade pacts worth US $ 10 billion signed and a deal to hike the trade pact to $100 bn by 2015 other issues affecting both countries came up though. But each stuck to its gun for example China’s issuance of stapled visas to Kashmir domiciled Indians intending to visit China. China’s stand on Tibet remained unaffected as also territorial disputes nagging both nations since decades. India’s repeated requests for unstapling visas to Kashmiris fell on deaf years and and China’s requests to India on Tibetan issue and United China also responded by India unfavourably.
The talks between both nations however transpired on cordial terms and that is part of diplomacy.
One thing which came out of Wen’s mouth was quite unexpected and it was music to our ears that China was supporting India for a permanent seat in United Nations Security Council (UNSC). It was quite unexpected from a nation like China as it was against India gaining a permanent membership in UNSC.
The most expected thing other than trade pacts was China agreeing to a step by step resolve the border dispute through the mediation talks by Special Representatives (SRs) belonging to both nations. Already 13 rounds of talks are over and things are back to square one and as there is no mutually agreed LoC (Line of Control) separating two nations how the perennial problem of border dispute is going to be settled remains a billion-dollar question. Perhaps that must be the reason behind one Senior Chinese expert on China-India relations once suggested both countries refrain from talks on border issues and let it remain as such instead concentrate more on developing business and cultural level talks between the two nations. As Indian Prime Minister Dr.ManMohan Singh and the then Pakistani President General (retd) Pervez Musharaf once harped on ‘irrelevant borders’ with regard to the border dispute between India and Pakistan. Even when the involved nations know for certain that that is the most amicable way of settling the problem, fissiparous elements are always at work to continue raking up one issue or another.
Wen-Jia-Bao and his team of four hundred businessmen after spending three days in India dashed to Pakistan, China’s ‘all weather friend’ to spend three days in Pakistan also. A warm red-carpet reception was accorded to Wen and his team, held wide-ranging talks with Pakistani leaders and signed various pacts beginning from nuclear co-operation and trade pacts worth US $ 18bn and both nations decided to upgrade the trade-pact in the immediate future to $35 bn. Chinese Premier addressed both houses of Parliament and spoke on various issues including needs and ways of eradicating from the soil of Pakistan, Wen and business team tried their utmost to keep Pakistan in good humour and Pakistani leaders were visibly elated.
But the funny part of the story is that Wen missed no opportunity to applaud Pakistan for fighting against terrorism in its soil thus rooting out it from its soil. The world as a whole must be laughing at this ‘appreciation’ since Pakistan is widely known as the ‘epicenter of terrorism’. Almost all terrorist elements had its origin in Pakistan and they were funded provided with military training and logistical support to sneak into neighbouring nations and wreak havoc and mayhem in the neighbouring countries. These terrorist elements later turned against its creators like Frankenstein monsters, kind of poetic justice. China must be nursing and nurturing ulterior motives in appreciating Pakistan for its ‘tireless efforts’ to defeat terrorism.
Pakistan’s ire, as always was against India that while British, US, French and now Russian leaders took deep interest in visiting India and signing business-ties, only China stood with it through thick and thin even now that bonhomie remains strong. China keeping a war and cordial relation with Pakistan is a matter affecting or relating to both those nations keeping Pakistan close its bosom anyhow is not with good intentions as far as the neighbouring nation of India concerned.
Dmitry Medvedev, Russian President arrived in India yesterday and today both countries signed 12 trade-pacts and agreed to install two more nuclear power reactors at Koodankulam and other bilateral relations. He asked Pakistan to halt cross-border terrorism to India and also bring to book the culprits of 26/11 carnage. From the days of Vladimir Putin and even before him Russia and India kept a warm and cordial relationship and it still continues under the Presidentship of Medvedev. Let us look forward towards a happy New Year and brightening of relations among all nations across the world.
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