In the country, even if there is a discussion of the peasant movement and everyone is looking at the coming budget. But apart from this, the government has to keep an eye on other matters. Planning to secure the country’s borders has to be done in advance. Nothing like this happens overnight. India also has to find new friends and strengthen the siege when enemy countries are fortifying it from all sides. In this connection, a meeting of defense ministers of the countries bordering the Indian Ocean is to be held in Bengaluru on February 4 to discuss ways to stop Chinese interference in the Indian Ocean.
The annual Aero India 2021 exhibition is to be held in Bengaluru from January 4 to 6. Aero India has received the award for the largest aerospace exhibition in Asia. The forum provides important information on security techniques and equipment and is attended by countries from across Asia. Taking advantage of this opportunity, a meeting of Asia’s defense ministers will be held in Bengaluru on February 9, chaired by Indian Defense Minister Rajnath Singh. The main agenda of the meeting is to discuss peace, security and enhancing coherence in the Indian Ocean.
When it comes to meeting the defense ministers of Asian countries, the issue of security of their territories is always on the minds of every minister. Whatever the agenda of the meeting, the fact that the discussion is about the security of one’s own area cannot be hidden from anyone. For the sake of appearances, it is a matter of peace and coincidence, but when the meeting is going on in the four walls, there is talk of ministers of each country interfering in their territory and threatening the security of their country.
India has friendly and multilateral relations with a number of countries in the Indian Ocean, the main ones being Australia, Indonesia, Singapore, France, Maldives. It is only natural that the growing interference of China is to be discussed at this meeting of defense ministers to be held in Bengaluru. Relations between India and China have been strained over the past few months as the two countries’ armies have clashed on the border. The ongoing border dispute between China and India is not just in the Galvan Valley. Apart from this, there is a lot of controversy over economic and security issues.
The current political power in India has a clear policy on China. And this policy is that we do not want an inch of Chinese land as well as an inch of Indian land not to be given to China. Indian Defense Minister Rajnath Singh has also declared that we do not want to struggle. But we are not afraid of conflict. India has realized that if China’s growing regionalist policy is not exposed to the world, China will become uncontrollable and that is why India is trying to form a united front of countries with interests against China. India knows that it is better to confront China by forming a front of other countries that are hurt by China than by confronting it alone. The way in which China has increased its penetration in the Indian Ocean and in the name of trade, China has started occupying various ports in the Indian Ocean and setting up its naval bases, has made it clear that China is in the process of occupying the Indian Ocean in the coming days. China has strengthened its naval forces in recent years. In addition, through its checkbook diplomacy, China has begun to occupy the ports of these countries by investing in poor countries. According to him, China has seized ports in Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Maldives, Seychelles, Mauritius, Myanmar and Bangladesh, while negotiations are underway. However, the intentions of China trying to dominate the country by giving money in the name of development are now becoming clear and countries like Maldives and Sri Lanka have fallen victim to China’s debt trap diplomacy. The port of Hambantota in Sri Lanka is an example.
VR Sunil Gohil
