International Web–Symposium

On

 Recent Security Threats to India from China: Responses of Indian Diaspora 

Jointly organsied by

The Organisation for Diaspora Initiatives (ODI India),

Centre for Diaspora Studies (CDS), Central University of Gujarat (CUG)

&

Diaspora and International Migration Programme (DIMP), CAS-School of International Studies,

Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), New Delhi

on

05 September 2020

From 4:00 PM to 7:00 PM (Indian Standard Time)

Registration LINK: shorturl.at/cjvKZ

(Registration closes by 5:00 PM on 04 September 2020, Indian Standard Time)

ODI Series Coordinators: Dr. Sushmita Rajwar, Assistant Professor, University of Delhi &

Ms Aarshi Dua, Doctoral Fellow, CAS-School of International Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University

Media coordinators: Mr. Samir Bhattacharyya, CAS-School of International Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University & Ms. Sarita Nandmehar, School of International Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University

PROGRAMME SCHEDULE 

CONCEPT NOTE

Recent Security Threats to India from China: Responses of Indian Diaspora

China has posed a serious security threat to India during this time of the global pandemic. Both India and China have been in contestation with regard to the exact boundary at various places between India and China. The 2200-mile border between India and China has been full of competing claims and tensions. The Line of Actual Control is often disputed and both have different claims of its exact location. The Aksai Chin region has been claimed by India but is controlled by China. China began building a road through the area in 1956 linking Tibet to Xinjiang and has occupied it since 1962. Due to immensely difficult terrain, the surveying and mapping of this region was very difficult during colonial times. Galwan valley, the exact location of this recent dispute is the place where both the military forces fought with each other in June 2020. The skirmishes took place near to the Line of Actual Control between the Aksai Chin and Ladakh region.

There are many claims as to why China started this problem during this difficult time of the pandemic. There have been many claims that China was already unhappy with the scrapping of Article 370 in the state of Jammu & Kashmir which led to the creation of the Union Territory of Ladakh. Chinese tensions also started after India began construction of road in this area and apart from all these China also wants to take away attention from its role in the global pandemic.

The skirmishes that took place between the Indian and Chinese military in the Galwan valley region recently have sparked the boundary dispute once again. This has again brought out the heightened threat to security for India from across the border and has compelled India to reshape its foreign policy in order to tackle the imminent threat to security. While China was seeking a chance to escalate the conflict, the Indian PM has suggested that while ‘sovereignty is supreme’ for India, it is not seeking to escalate this conflict at this time of crisis. China’s irresponsible conduct during the pandemic has woken the world.

As part of this pushback, democracy has emerged the central pivot around which the future global order is being sought to be constructed by several stakeholders. The UK is also reportedly seeking an alliance of ten democracies, the G-7 countries along with India, Australia and South Korea to create alternative suppliers of 5G equipment and other technologies, so as to get out of the clutches of Chinese dependence.

New Delhi has long been touting its democratic credentials to underscore the point that it is different from China. Despite India’s attempts to underplay them, these democratic values have emerged as crucial variables in the way Indian foreign policy trajectory has evolved in the last few years, be it in its engagement with the West or with major players in the Indo-Pacific. The Quad is a manifestation of this dynamic even if none of the countries involved wants to emphasise it.

The response of global Indian diaspora to the Covid-19 crisis was exemplary and the Indian communities around the world are standing with and supporting vulnerable communities that have been severely impacted by this pandemic. The Indian diaspora has played an important part in building a positive image for India around the world and has been vocally supportive of various policy measures of the Indian government. The response from the Indian Diasporic community that the PM receives while visiting countries with Indian diaspora population shows the amount of support and trust they have on their homeland.

Therefore, in this time of pandemic as well as the recent boundary dispute it becomes extremely crucial to take into account the responses of the Indian diasporic community in this regard. The support that India receives from the global diaspora on its policies related to China is much needed and crucial in this time. One needs to examine how is the Indian diaspora mobilising themselves in order to provide support to India against China and how are these diasporic organisations working to take forward the stance that India has taken or should take on this recent skirmish that took place and became a cause for loss of lives of 20 Indian army soldiers.

The proposed webinar would therefore, broadly deliberate on the following sub-themes:

                                            * Recent Security Threat for India from China

                                            * China’s Challenge to India in the Post-Pandemic World Order

                                            * Global Indian Diaspora: Responses towards the recent security threat