Update: Please read a revised and expanded edition of this post at The Great Indian Mutiny.
Exactly 60 years after independence, India stands on a precipice. If it is ready to open its arms and join the world powers, it can soar into the sky. If it acts afraid, and bows to China, it will plunge to the depths of its isolationist socialist past.
Why the Left's Opposition?
China. There was a time when the CPI(M) blatantly stuck posters all over Kolkata stating "China's Chairman is our Chairman!". Many experts, like B. Raman, have conceded that "The Left's campaign against India's relations with the US reflects more China's concerns and interests than those of India."
While the Left is posturing as the supreme nationalist, Jaideep Mazumdar offers a startling summary of what they've really achieved and the mistakes they've made in the last 30 years of their governance in West Bengal:
- Banned English from high schools, colleges, and even universities -as 'imperialist'
- Banished Computers, as they were a 'capitalist and exploitative' ploy
- Banished Businesses and Industry - "Tata, Birla, Go Back!"
- Promoted militant Trade Unionism
- Shunned Global Institutions - World Bank, IMF, ADB were devils
- Which is the 2nd largest city in West Bengal after Kolkata? Stumped? Because of Urban Neglect.
All the above mistakes are now being reversed without being acknowledged. These are your righteous ideologues who're out to protect you from imperialist Uncle Sam. So, why is China behind them? Because:
While the Indo-US deal includes supply of fuel and India's right to reprocess spent fuel, the agreement with China does not. China has had to accept bilateral inspections by US inspectors while there's no such clause in the Indo-US deal. USA's nuclear deal with China is linked to various external factors like China's relations with Pakistan, its behavior in Tibet and its non-proliferation record. The Indo-US deal has no such linkages, nor does it provide any role to external agencies to oversee the separation between civilian and military reactors in India, unlike the US-China deal that forced China to allow Australia to attest its separation plan.
For a detailed analysis of the differences between China's and India's 123 agreements with the US, see this article in the IE.
What if India Backs Out of the Deal
Yesterday, Karan Thapar talked with K. Subrahmanyam on India Tonight (CNBC TV18). The summary and conclusions of the discussion were as follows. There would be the following consequences if India backs out of the deal now.
International Diplomacy
India will lose its credibility so badly on the world stage, that our ties with countries such as France, Germany, Russia, UK, Japan, and Australia will be affected. From trade to WTO negotiations to immigration -- all aspects of diplomacy will find us in difficult positions with little to bargain for. We may be able to do little if a Haneef kind of case happens again, and we sure can expect tightening of immigration restrictions against India.
Economic Growth
Forget 9% growth ambitions. There will be no FDI. Lack of political stability will pull out all those billions of dollars that have been pouring in the last few years. India's isolation will have enormous economic impact.
Energy
The potential of nuclear power to supply up to 15% of our energy needs is a significant one. It can ameliorate our energy crisis substantially. By remaining in technological isolation, we will never be able to satisfy our energy requirements. This in turn, means an economic impact as well.
Strategic National Security
If this nuclear deal does not go through, India will permanently accept China as the ruling supremo in the Asian region. The deal is the backbone of a broader strategic alliance not just with the US, but with Japan, Australia, and Russia as well. The planned joint naval exercises in the Bay of Bengal are just one of the many that we will conduct with a host of other nations in the future - if we stick to the deal. Those who do not understand the strategic necessity of such a closer cooperation should familiarize themselves with the Chinese String of Pearls strategy. India will need to learn to bow before China and accept more sophisticated Pakistani infiltration in Kashmir. Today, claims that Arunachal Pradesh belongs to China are being made publicly. Imagine what can happen tomorrow, when no one in the world is going to listen to what India has to say.
Pessimism or Gravitas?
The above are not An Unquiet Mind's opinions or conclusions. Do you think they are overly pessimistic or intentionally sensationalist? K. Subrahmanyam is not known to be either - he is India's foremost strategic thinker, referred to as the 'doyen of India's strategic foreign affairs experts'. Both Vajpayee and Manmohan Singh's governments have placed utmost trust in him. He had placed the Indo-US Joint Statement of 2005 as one of the "Five Decisions that Changed India". Also see "The Legend that is K. Subrahmanyam".
Such a man does not make statements lightly or sensationalize issues. We are standing on a precipice. If the Indo-US nuclear cooperation doesn't go through, expect more brain drain, rather than the reverse. This is critically important for the future of India. We cannot afford it to be left to the Left and be left behind.
Technorati Tags: india, america, US, indo-us nuclear deal, china, politics, world affairs, energy
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You know Mahendra, this subject upsets me so much that I usually refrain from commenting! I feel very strongly about this and ofcourse echo your sentiments but I feel so angry!! With the Left I mean. I don’t want to say more.
Nita: I cannot tell you how grateful I am to you for sharing my anger! I feel so helpless, desperate, and angry! It upsets me so much that my blood has been boiling for the past few days, and I couldn’t resist writing about it. I avoided the topic for some time.
Because I felt so strongly about it, I thought I will not be able to do justice to it. But then I thought again: after all, I started my blog to vent out my unquiet thoughts and feelings about things that I’m passionate about. Why keep it boiling within myself?
But it was very difficult to write a restrained, rational post, without letting too much of my frustration through!
At such times, I feel helpless because even though this topic is very much in my circle of concern, it is so outside my circle of influence! The gap between the two is what is most distressing.
As I remarked in another blog, India’s main threat is not Pakistan, or Kashmir, or China, but its own Left. They will not rest till they drag this country till the days of the November Revolution, and create gulags where they will send all of us.
Prepare to migrate if they come to power in the coming or subsequent elections.
[…] Mahendra Palsule sums up the consequences of the scrapping of the 1–2-3 agreement: India will lose its credibility so badly on the world stage, that our ties with countries such as France, Germany, Russia, UK, Japan, and Australia will be affected.[..] If this nuclear deal does not go through, India will permanently accept China as the ruling supremo in the Asian region. The deal is the backbone of a broader strategic alliance not just with the US, but with Japan, Australia, and Russia as well.[…] India will need to learn to bow before China and accept more sophisticated Pakistani infiltration in Kashmir. Today, claims that Arunachal Pradesh belongs to China are being made publicly. Imagine what can happen tomorrow, when no one in the world is going to listen to what India has to say. Linked by kuffir. Join Blogbharti facebook group. […]
You said it. Writing a rational post on this subject. I am quite incapable of it!
The words I will use are the ones I censor on my own blog! 
Oh and btw Ramobodoc, can you tell me why people in Bengal vote for the Left? I have my own theory on it, that the elections are rigged, but people tell me I am wrong. Whats your take on it?
Nita: //You said it. Writing a rational post on this subject. I am quite incapable of it!//
That’s why I refrained from writing. Then a light bulb moment occurred: “Oh, but there will be a comment section, where I can really vent out!”
Why do people vote for the left in Bengal? I’ve also often wondered about the same question. How come the anti-incumbency factor doesn’t work at all? Any insight — Rambodoc or any other Bengali who’s reading this? Please enlighten us!
Oh, and what I’m really scared of, is when Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee did try to deviate from Leftist ideology and try to attract investment in the state, his Government did such a poor job of it, that it led to the Nandigram disaster! So, these things are really going to work in pushing them back towards an extreme Leftist stance.
Nita and Mahendra,
The Left is a chronic disease in Bengal. The people are in cahoots with the party, a sort of conspiracy to ensure continuation of one party rule. How so? Want a job? Psst..go to the party boss. Want a piece of land? Psst..give a bit to the local Committee. Want to beat up your girl friend’s paramour? Let’s go, comrades!
The Party has systematically infiltrated into villages, talukas, districts and cities. At every level, there is a CPM office, with an impressive organisation that can control the local society. Anyone who dares to resist may get beaten up or killed. During the elections, there is the phenomenon of ‘scientific rigging’ about which there should be a Wikipedia article.
Lastly, I should add that for some people, CPM has become part of their career growth. A doctor who is a good for nothing and fails in all the PG entrance tests needs to just work in the Government hospital. Five years later, he gets into an MD/MS course without having to take ANY exam. So for him, the party is part of his career.
A few still vote for the CPM because they believe in communism. Suckers!
I had heard vaguely about this when we lived in Kolkata. About how people are intimidated into voting…and thats how I had come to the conclusion that masss rigging was going on. Anyway, all this is typical of communism. Thanks for the info.
God! This reminded me of We The Living! Thanks!
very certainly interesting r the comments
very well known are the facts
the commis as doc said are into everything in bengal
From a friend and a person who has worked in bengal
they work in a mafioso manner
i heard that the commis also hold land papers of most people who received govt land, after the land was redistributed in the 60s if not they control all functions of gram panchayat, so as to control ruralfolk, this is a very potent tool and the flareup of singur showed how they can try to get their way.
[…] mahendrap @ 2:24 pm Echoing the sentiments and thoughts expressed by K. Subrahmanyam as I’d written earlier about, it is now the turn of Ratan Tata to speak out about the significance of the Indo-US nuclear deal […]
Please correct me if I’m wrong, but is there really any chance of containing China’s dictatorship in the long term without the US and India teaming up?
Prax: thanks for providing further insight. Yes, communism is another kind of fascism, and they cannot succeed without acting like a mafia. Controlling land documentation and influencing gram panchayats…how deplorable!
Paul: this one too was identified as spam…and no, I have no answer. Your question is a very interesting one though!