At a time when India-China military standoff, if not inclusive but in restricted form, has caught whole gamut of attention not only in India but across the world, the potentialities of strategic partnership of India with other nations and various fronts become important. Hostility is prevailing across India-China border because of the Chinese assertiveness through showing military muscle. Significantly, China is a country the strength of which is not only military power but also potential strategic partnerships. However, this is also true that strategic partnership of China is mostly bilateral. Beijing’s partnership with Pakistan, Nepal or Sri Lanka is based on three different parameters and it seems most unlikely that in terms of strategic partnership Pakistan, Nepal and Sri Lanka can come under single umbrella. This is true in case of China’s relations with other nations.

 

Although strategic hold is the actual strength of China, its shape is hardly multi-lateral anywhere. So also, China seems buying strategic space expensing much. If China is a strategic game-player today, this is mainly because of Beijing’s policy of shouldering economic responsibilities of different nations. But it will be wrong to say that China is distributing freebies to others to get strategic hold. This does not hold true as China is expanding its economy. On the other hand, this is true that strategic partnership of China with different countries is based on mutual and shared interests. This shows why strategic partnership of China is not multi-lateral in form.

More so, China’s tendency to dominate has not allowed such format to evolve. Can China be the catalytic agent to evolve solidarity among all those nations that have bilateral strategic partnership with Beijing? This is no doubt a far-fetched issue and hard to speculate. But in the context of China’s ongoing confrontation against India, this bears special significance. After all China, which is always skeptical about its partner can hardly expect to utilise its so-called strategic bases and holds during a large-scale confrontation. This also bears significance in the combat between India and China and growing military assertiveness.

 

Considering these, India’s Malabar partnership bears special significance. At present, it consists of three nations, India, United States and Japan. As per Malabar strategic partnership, these three nations have engaged into maritime strategic partnership and the region around Malacca island and Singapore in the Indian Ocean up to parts of South China Sea are the areas of naval strategic partnership among the three nations. A few weeks ago, India and Japan made joint naval exercise as part of Malabar strategic partnership. United States also takes part occasionally and in the given time when India-China standoff is gradually taking shape of a full-scale conventional war and souring relations between China and United States.

 

Since Japan evolved as a strategic player with focused military aspirations, things have become tougher for China. In fact, China has opened too many conflicting zones around its eastern periphery. China’s border dispute with every single nation is taking dangerous shape, be it Japan, ASEAN countries and even its long trusted ally Myanmar. India is no doubt facing Chinese threat in its land border. But things are not easy for China as well in the land border considering the geographical location of Ladakh, Siachen glacier and other parts in and around the mighty Himalayan. Along with India, China also understands the cost of air strike. So also, Indian Air Force, Army and Border Security Force are not same as had been in 1962. Importantly, Indian air force has received five new Rafale fighter jets from France as part of India’s deal with France in 2016 to buy 36 warplanes.

Apart from anything else, it shows that India has left behind decades-old strategy of depending on Russia-based aircraft, artilleries and other security-related assets. Present India is looking beyond Russia and engaging into strategic partnership not only with United States but also with major countries of the European Union. France has emerged as a major supplier of military arsenal to India. India’s strategic partnership has increased with Britain, Germany and others.

But India’s strong point is her geo-strategic maritime location. The nautical boundary of India in the Indian Ocean, Bay of Bengal and Arabian Sea gives it certain edge over others. But in case of the Indian Ocean Region, India’s maritime dominance is stretched far beyond her nautical boundary. Island diplomacy of Prime Minister Modi has helped extending India’s strategic partnership with the small island nations of the Indian Ocean. Similarly, naval strategic location of Andaman and Nicobar Island, which is a part of Indian Republic, gives India much liberty to expand her maritime strategic goal. Really, the reason for which countries like United States and Japan are much enthusiastic to expand co-operation with India is New Delhi’s strong hold and powerful naval base in vast area of the Indian Ocean, which is the transit point between east and west through maritime route.

In this context, Malabar strategic partnership comprising India, Japan and the United States bears special significance to counter China. Dominance in this region is important for both Japan and the United States as it provides greater advantage to control things in the South China Sea. South China Sea has evolved as a focal point of conflict among several nations. There are too many stakeholders whose interests are at stake in South China Sea. America literally wants to fish in this troubled water to restrict China’s expansion through establishing dominance in the small islands of both the Indian Ocean and large parts of Pacific Ocean, which will prove to be maritime strategic disaster for the United States. That is why America is so enthusiastic about deeper maritime co-operation in this part of the Indian Ocean. Japan has its own trade interests to connect with other nations through this naval route. Japan wants to enliven Chinese aggressive poster in South China Sea by showing assertiveness through Malabar strategic and naval partnership.

However, efforts should be made to expand Malabar strategic partnership through extending it and engaging other nations. If restricting China is the prime focus, things should be perceived from a larger perspective. But one thing that makes the Malabar co-operation very crucial is antagonism of China with several nations in the East and ASEAN as well as interests of big parleys to restrict China for own interests. Australia is very keen to join the Malabar strategic co-operation. Similarly, Vietnam, France, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines can be parts of this for the same reason. In this context, Sri Lanka’s approach towards China is very important. Colombo has become virtually a Chinese naval base in the given time.

Therefore, India, Japan and the United States must make formidable efforts both in bilateral and multi-lateral fronts to steward Sri Lanka’s opinion against China, main point here is economic dependence on China. This is the weak nerve of Sri Lanka, which China is constantly pressing for. Efforts should be made to provide more viable alternative for Sri Lanka. If Sri Lanka takes stand against China, it will be shot in the arms for the Malabar strategic partnership although it seems unlikely in the given time. But Malabar strategic partnership has the potential to expand considering China’s relations with its eastern neighbours as well as islands of the Indian Ocean and the Pacific. Shared interests and common agenda of India, Japan and the United States should do the requisite in this context to subdue China. This will not only strengthen Malabar strategic co-operation but India’s position against China.

-The writer is a Guwahati-based strategic affairs analyst. The views expressed are personal and do not necessarily reflect the views of Raksha Anirveda