The author has provided excellent and well-thought views on having and Indo-Japan axis. I agree with the author that India and China can be tenuous neighbours at best - tolerating each other because of geography, but nothing more. The emotional baggage of "Panchsheel" and similar "big brother neighbor" needs to be relegated to the garbage bin of history.
A progressing India needs to ensure that the fruits of labour gained over the last decade are not summarily frittered due to ineptitude and lack of strategic thinking. A nation of one billion people needs to now think of the future and determine and define its long term strategy to ensure that India stays on the path to become one of the power players in the world.
India needs to reach out to the future power players who are her friends, distant though they may be, and ensure that there is a strategic and binding association to keep her enemies in check. The age-old dictum still applies - an enemy's enemy is your friend.
RS speaks of racism against Indians by the Chinese. I'm amused that he doesn't realise how surprising it sounds to most reasonable Indians when Indians complain of racism at other races's hands.
Simply put, Indians have no reason victimise themselves and consider themselves susceptible to racism. That's according too much dignity to the opinion of those who discriminate. There are several humans who *dislike* Indians to the point of hatred. While extremely unfortunate, that is not really bad or wrong in itself.
Moral: no humans exhibit, or can exhibit racism against Indians. We just aren't exactly popular among certain folks. Lets accept it gracefully. They do after all have the right to their opinions.
racism
by Vijaya Kumar on Apr 28, 2005 07:57 PM Permalink
You mean India has racist attitude? I think it is ok for china to have it. I agree every nation and community suffers from some racism and those who do not harbor it will be eaten for breakfast by those who do. But the point of RS article is that China does harbor animosity towards India. I feel Indian economic growth after PVs liberalization is making China toinitiate diplomatic relationship with India. If Nehruvian policies continued, China would have not have cared for Indian relationship. Pakistan forged a bed with USA. Being a friend with Pak is having indirect relationship with USA which is almost essential for every country. Japans visit to Pak is for that reason. Even India is noticing it and that is why India invited Pak president. RS writes as is. Japan has genuine social friendship with India. China's is only political not social.
Truly superb article based on thoroughly realistic perception and thought. Hope the sycophantic and spineless Indian media reads this and learns from this. Indians should learn to be assertive and proactive , and only then will India become a superpower and a major force to reckon with.
CHINA views JAPAN as more dominating vis-a-vis INDIA. Plus having 2 permanent members in its own backyard will curb its power in ASIA both in East and West.
First step containment Stop Japan at any and all cost from becoming permanent UN member.If it fails stop them from getting VETO Powers.
My predictions were right on the money from the word get go regarding no VETO Powers in UN for the 4.
Use the locals to further your ambition seems to be the US Principle 1. India (Pakistan,Bangladesh,Nepal,Srilanka) 2. Japan (China,Korea) 3. Brazil(All S.America) 4. Germany(Most of Europe)
All these locals will gang up first, big neighbours in any area will make your neighbours weary of you (ask CANADA & MEXICO). If US is on the wrong side defintely US will be like us trying to get to the big table.
Generally from what i have seen the process has already started with Pakistan and Italy leading the delegation and no points for guessing who is behind this (is it only the US OF A)?
Who can you blame it on but our dear old 1st PM Pandit NEHRU for giving it to CHINA.
Excellant article regarding Indians position vis-a-vis China and Japan and all progressive Indians should take a cue out of it to build strong partnerships with Japan to project a strong Indian, internationally.
The author's assesment of the Indo-Japanese relations in core areas of culture and business is an eye-opener to the government.Being in the receiving side for so many years of chinese aggression and soft pedaling on key issues,its time to wake to forge an alliance with the ever friendly country like Japan and prove to others as an aggressive nation.Let us restrict our partnership with China on the IT sector alone.
Bravo, Rajeev! After a pretty long time, I have seen an article from you that does not smack of any prejudice or bias! You have lucidly elucidated how Indo-Japanese co-operation is the need of the hour. Somehow, with it's colonial pro-British mindset, India has always hung on to the apron strings of the West and ignored Japan. Time it is set right. - Regards Manoj
This is well said. Chinese domination can be well felt in Asia. This must come to an end with our ties with Japan. This should have long beore happened. But I think it is not too late. I believe that in the years to come Asians will mean only Indians and Japanese and not the Chinese.
The world is not as unidimensional as the writer would like us to believe. Show any Japanese the contents of this article and they will laugh. In their view, they are a part of the haves of this world and India and well as China are among the havenots. How can they think of strategic alignment with a beggarly nation? Don't we all remember their holier than thou reaction after Pokharan and how they grudgingly reconciled only after getting the signal from the global policeman, the US. Also, how their political leaders have always tried to find explanations for whatever Pakistan does.
Mr Srinivasan has done his home-work. Indians and Japanese do have a semi cultural and religious bond. The author is quite right about the Japanese having a fair amount of respect for Indians.......something that is lacking when it comes to the Chinese. We will however have to clean house and fly right if we are to do business with Japan. The have a very clean and clear-cut understanding of business principles and will not compromise morals or work ethics. Frank Cherian, USA
