BRI needs buying power of Indians

What is China trying to prove to India? Beijing flexes muscles or talk strong arm tactics when it comes to Himalayan border while carrying an olive branch on matters relating to commerce and trade.

The Chinese officials never fail to assert military supremacy and keep reminding India of the Doklam stand off, as well as, in some closed door forums, of the defeat handed to India in the 1962 war.

Yet it wants India’s participation in the Belt Road Initiative (BRI), a scheme without a definite plan but with “here and there development approach” to link through Asia to Europe and Africa.

The few BRI related projects, if seen in China’s ad-hoc approach context, have proven to be not feasible or not viable.

Hanbantota port, in Sri Lanka, is an example of lack of planning. It is done by the Chinese without a feasibility study, admit sources in Colombo.

Gawadar port, part of China Pakistan Economic Corridor, is another example of hurried investments without full backing of viability studies.

For India, it would be wise to stay mum on BRI.

According to latest Indian media reports, China has again offered to attract India into BRI.

Following the Chinese Commerce Minister Zhong Shan’s visit to New Delhi during the last week of March, Beijing has offered to synchronize its BRI scheme with Make-in-India initiative and with it, yet another try, win New Delhi’s support for the cross-continental connectivity project.

India should hold its ground. Make in India is getting recognized for it is offering foreign investors a definite consumer-driven market in India and export opportunities.

India’s goodwill in the global markets will win deals for India-made and competitively-priced products.

At home, Indian consumers would create a “buyers’ market”.

India can expect trade trends in the years ahead along the success of its IT industry that has spread across the globe.

BRI, seems to be ignoring the speed of disruptive technologies, needs the insatiable Indian market. fii-news.com