India sees China cozying up to Bangladesh a ploy to gain access to bay of Bengal

[Syed Asif Bukhari]

Okay.

An apocalyptic war that includes China and USA will only talk in the voice of Nuclear Bombs. Blockade means nothing.

Chinese are planning a long term strategy . THEY SIMPLY WANT UNRESTRICTED ACCESS TO SEA . THATS IT .

 

[dray]

If War breaks out between China and India - Bangladesh Becomes very Important. More than Pakistan. Look at the red circled part of the Map at the top of Bangladesh . China can effectively block India's access to Seven Sisters if Bangladesh remains neutral. Both China and India needs BD more. It is not our headache but theirs.

View attachment 345296

Explain how China can block our NE states...BTW, include Nepal, Bhutan, and Sikim areas in the Shiliguri corridor in case of a conflict, because our army will effectively control those areas.

 

[kobiraaz]

Explain how China can block our NE states...BTW, include Nepal, Bhutan, and Sikim areas in the Shiliguri corridor in case of a conflict, because our army will effectively control those areas.

If It remains regional between India and China, Expect Pakistan to remain battle ready. In that case You will have to keep half of you Army for Pakistan and Half for China. You might be a military Giant but still not ready to battle China On par. If China attacks Chicken Neck The question will be How many days you will be able to defend!

Anyway I was talking about a hypothetical scenario presented by the poster. Personally I think We arent that Idiot to go to any war.

 

[asad71]

If India be the top potential threat of BD - in security, culture or economy, then it is imperative and inevitable for BD to cozy up to China. We should award the deep-sea port to China. Also allow PLAN to establish bases in BD.

 

[CorporateAffairs]

Just chill, nobody knows when will those 24B come!

 

[dray]

If It remains regional between India and China, Expect Pakistan to remain battle ready. In that case You will have to keep half of you Army for Pakistan and Half for China. You might be a military Giant but still not ready to battle China On par. If China attacks Chicken Neck The question will be How many days you will be able to defend!

Anyway I was talking about a hypothetical scenario presented by the poster. Personally I think We arent that Idiot to go to any war.

We have enough to hold in a defensive role. Besides, such a conflict will not remain restricted into one area and spread into many directions, both politically and militarily.

 

[kobiraaz]

We have enough to hold in a defensive role. Besides, such a conflict will not remain restricted into one area and spread into many directions, both politically and militarily.

I Don't see any one coming into your Aid. Other than some vocal support or UN move.

Just chill, nobody knows when will those 24B come!

Next 5 years. They are infrastructure project. Some of them are already in place such as Railway line in Padma Bridge.

 

[dray]

I Don't see any one coming into your Aid. Other than some vocal support or UN move.

We don't need it either. However, we are not talking about some insignificant country, when it is about two of the worlds biggest countries, things will take different turns. Btw, China is not run by fanboys either, they won't attack India because they can't without destroying themselves..

 

[kobiraaz]

We don't need it either. However, we are not talking about some insignificant country, when it is about two of the worlds biggest countries, things will take different turns. Btw, China is not run by fanboys either, they won't attack India because they can't without destroying themselves..

That is what I said.

 

[Kaniska]

20 October 2016 International Opinion

Should China Cozying Up To Bangladesh Worry India?
New Delhi worries Beijing’s bonhomie with Dhaka is a ploy to pursue the policy of encirclement and gain access to Bay of Bengal

Joyeeta Bhattacharjee

File-AP Photo/A.M. Ahad

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When Chinese President Xi Jinping stopped over at Bangladesh on October 14 while on his way to Goa for BRICS summit, he promised truckload of cash—exactly $21 billion–as aid and loan for Bangladesh for various infrastructure and development projects. In the bargain, he got a promise: Bangladesh will become the strategic partner of China.

The China-Bangladesh handshake has set off the alarm bells in India.


Bangladesh is not only geographically linked to India but is also one of the friendliest countries in the neighbourhood. India is worried about the bonhomie largely due to the perception that China’s motivation to engage with India’s neighbour is to pursue its policy of encirclement.

Jinping’s visit was the first by a Chinese President in the last thirty years. President Abdul Hamid gave him a warm welcome at the airport. Besides, he called on Prime Minister Shiekh Hasina and leader of the opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party Begum Khaleda Zia.

During his meeting with Hasina, they discussed issues for bilateral, regional and international co-operations. The crowning glory of the visit was the 27 agreements and MoUs, which also included 12 loan and mutual agreements, signed between the two countries.

The agreements and MoUs signed were in areas of trade and investment, Blue Economy, BCIM-EC, roads and bridges, railways, power, maritime, ICT, industrial production, capacity building and skill development.


The visit also spotlights China intention to stop looking at Bangladesh from the Pakistan’s prism. After the independence of Bangladesh in 1971, China declined to recognize that country and opposed its entry into the United Nations. But both the countries have made peace with the past.

Today, Bangladesh considers China as a trusted friend and ally. China is its biggest trading partner with trade crossing $10 billion. In 2015-16 Bangladesh imported $9.8 billion-worth goods from China, which was $5.9 billion in 2010-11. Bangladesh makes all big military shopping from China.

On the contrary, India’s ties with Bangladesh have not been smooth and faced turbulence despite India supporting Bangladesh in its liberation. During Bangladesh’s liberation war, India not only provided training to the freedom fighters, gave shelters to refugees from that country but also its army fought along with the freedom fighters. The death of Mujibur Rahman, the leader of Bangladesh’s liberation, in 1975, changed the nature of the relation between India and Bangladesh.

The subsequent military dictators who ruled Bangladesh pursued a policy of distancing itself from India. The country’s ties with China took off from there and prospered over the years.
But it was not all downhill from there. India is on a steady relationship with Bangladesh for the past few years, thanks to Sheikh Hasina.

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Her action against groups inimical to India’s interests active in her country helped in regaining India’s confidence and trust missing for a long time. Today, India is a major partner in its fight against terror and development. India and Bangladesh are cooperating on a wide range of issues including security, trade and commerce, connectivity, energy, environment, education, science and technology and etc.

Bangladesh is also important to partner with India in progress regional cooperation. Bangladesh has been a key supporter of India in initiatives like BBIN (Bangladesh, Bhutan, India and Nepal) and BIMSTEC (Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multisectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation).

But will China-Bangladesh relationship upset India? Till date, Prime Minister Shiekh Hasina has been successful in maintaining a balanced relationship with both the countries. After she formed the government in 2009, Hasina visited India and China. Also, she was seen cutting down the country’s dependence on the Chinese arms by diversifying the source of arms. In 2013, she gave a billion dollar contract to Russia, one of the country’s biggest arms contracts.
However, Bangladesh procuring the submarines from China has been an issue of scepticism for the security analysts in India. After Xi’s visit, the scepticism has further deepened, particularly, with China and Bangladesh elevating their relationship to a strategic partnership. Clarity on the nature of this partnership will be helpful in reducing tension.

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Bangladesh foreign policy observers are divided on the nature of the partnership. Some of them strongly argue in favour of keeping it to economic ties. While some favour inclusion of defence in the partnership.

A defence partnership might have ramification for India since it might give China access to the Bay of Bengal, which has been India’s backyard for long. Many of India’s strategic assets are located on the east coast close to Bangladesh. When Chinese President described Bangladesh as a key partner in South Asia and the Indian Ocean, it was sure to rankle India. The Indian Ocean is a considered India’s sphere of influence and China is looking for increasing its presence in the reason.

Also, Bangladesh officially joining China’s One Belt One Road (OBOR) made India sit up and take notice. Convincing Bangladesh to join OBOR was major challenge for Jinping. India has hesitation on the OBOR initiative because the projects under it in Pakistan run into the disputed territory over which India claims sovereignty.

With Bangladesh joining the OBOR, India is in a fix. Bangladesh is expected to receive investment from China to develop its infrastructure necessary to strengthen the connectivity in the region. The BCIM (Bangladesh, India China and Myanmar) sub-regional cooperation has been included in the OBOR and India is a major partner here.


Bangladesh argues that its engagement with China will also benefit India. The Infrastructure that the country will develop can also help India to establish connectivity with East Asia.
The role of Prime Minister Shiekh Hasina will be critical in deciding the course of the country’s relationship with India and China. The country needs China for economic development since it can provide the finances. Similarly, Bangladesh needs India for its fight against terrorism, one of the critical challenges facing the country. Hope is Sheikh Hasina, a proponent of peace and development, will not upset the equilibrium.

To avoid such scepticism Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has to show uniqueness in framing her foreign policy which will be innate to Bangladesh and will be helpful in gaining the confidence of all the countries enabling to maintain an equal relationship with both India and China.

http://www.outlookindia.com/website/story/should-china-cozying-up-to-bangladesh-worry-india/297300

Stupid article...One thing for sure...Any positive development of BD is good for India..One thing for sure, It is better to have BD ally of China rather than US setting up any base in BD which is more troublesome for India...

 

[idune]

Bangladesh does not see China gaining access to bay through Bangladesh and Myanmar as threat. Rather, Bangladesh sees Chinese presence as welcome move for regional development, peace and stability. Case closed; indians can go pound sand all they want.

 

[dray]

If India be the top potential threat of BD - in security, culture or economy, then it is imperative and inevitable for BD to cozy up to China. We should award the deep-sea port to China. Also allow PLAN to establish bases in BD.

Yep, especially culture, India has manipulated Bangladeshi minds to such extent that they have betrayed the 'brotherhood' of West Pakistan and parted their ways, they have given an unislamic name to their country, adopted an unislamic 'red sun' in their flag, chosen a song written by a 'Hindu malaun' as their national anthem, chosen another Indian poet as their national poet (who even wrote mushrik Hindu religious Shyamasangeet), adopted an unislamic language as their national language instead of heavenly languages like Arabic, farsi or at least Urdu, celebrate Hindu festivals like 'Poila Boishakh'..aarrrrghh.....and many even claim and follow the Hindu-like Bengali culture!

You should do something about it.

 

[Homo Sapiens]

I don't think so . India can easily block BD sea lanes .

Blocking sea lane is the declaration of war.All the equation will be different then.

BD is surrounded by India

Wrong,rather Bangladesh almost cut off North-east from mainland India.Which is a disadvantage for her.

Bay of Bengal is of no use for China

Bay of Bengal have more use to China than CPEC line.I don't think China will ever conduct trade through Gwadar port in any significant portion of the total.From Gwadar port Chinese have to transport goods on highway around 2000 km just to reach the Chinese border in Karakoram,then again another 4000-5000 km through western China's desert mountain to reach the Chinese population and industrial heartland in the east.Land transportation will be prohibitively costly.While from Bay of Bengal they can easily supply goods in Chinese heartland with shorter road distance bypassing strait of Malacca.

 

[Homo Sapiens]

China already has access to "Bay of Bengal" through Myanmar.

Rest are just tantrums to feel important.

You should see the things from different angle.

Even if China don't use Bangladeshi port for transition of goods destined to China, this China-Myanmar road is tremendously important for Bangladesh.Chinese port in Myanmar very near to Bangladesh which can be used to supply Bangladesh in case of hostility with India.China can use this port to supply equipment to future Chinese military base in Bangladesh.Bangladesh can use these Chinese port in Myanmar to export- import with China.These port can be act like a chain connected to deep sea port in Coxs bazar and Chittagong in BD.So whether China use Bangladeshi port for third country import or not it is win win for us.

 

[Sam.]

You should see the things from different angle.

Even if China don't use Bangladeshi port for transition of goods destined to China, this China-Myanmar road is tremendously important for Bangladesh.Chinese port in Myanmar very near to Bangladesh which can be used to supply Bangladesh in case of hostility with India.China can use this port to supply equipment to future Chinese military base in Bangladesh.Bangladesh can use these Chinese port in Myanmar to export- import with China.These port can be act like a chain connected to deep sea port in Coxs bazar and Chittagong in BD.So whether China use Bangladeshi port for third country import or not it is win win for us.

What you said is a possibility as well as India & Pakistan uniting.