Discounting Pakistan factor, India for closer bond with major global players

Pakistan's strong bonding with China is a well known phenomenon and deep rooted and thus to imply that India's growing ties with the United States or Russia could drag Islamabad 'closer' to Beijing could be erroneous.

This is what is underlined by a government source here even as it maintains that New Delhi's more recent foreign policy cannot be called 'neo Non Alignment either".

In this context, the source maintains without ambiguity that - "Irrespective of whatever the impact on Pakistan, we have to develop relations with all the major players".

"Pakistan toh China ki god mein baitha hua hae (Pakistan is already sitting on the lap of China)," the source said rather in a lighter sense clarifying recent boost to Indo-US and India-Russia ties have nothing to do with it.

The source insisted that the Modi government's policy is to "be close to all countries".

"Someone asked whether the current government's policy is neo-Non Alignment.....My answer is very simple. I said it's not Non Alignment as Non Alignment means equi distance from all....But the current government decision is to stay closer to all countries," the source said ? however adding that it is also firm about "taking independent decision on India's national interest".

"That means we could align with quite a few countries on various issues but only on national interests not on ideological issue.....So there is a very fundamental difference between non-alignment and the policy the government is following," the source said.

A rather detailed analysis on these lines have been made by an official when asked to comment whether India's growing proximity with Russia and the United States could easily drag Pakistan into the 'lap' of China.

Commenting on the issue, in fact an old hand in India's foreign policy said the subject matter given its complexity and geo-political significance deserves more detailed analysis perhaps even in the form of a book.

The observations come within weeks, Pakistan ? snubbed by the United States and also penalised for not taking adequate actions against terror ? has made overtures and tried to move closer to China.

In fact, a day after India hosted the inaugural '2 Plus 2 Dialogue' with the US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and the US Secretary Defence James Mattis, Islamabad hosted China's State Councillor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi for a three-day meet from September 7.

China has already pledged $ 57 billion in loans for Pakistan as part of its Belt and Road initiative.

Wang further said the Pakistani portion of the Belt and Road initiative, known as the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), would help funds-starved new regime in Pakistan 'increase economic growth by 1-2 per cent'. "CPEC has not inflicted a debt burden on Pakistan, rather when these projects get completed  these will create considerable returns".

"Recent global and regional developments, including India's intensifying military alliance with the US to contain China, has created a compulsion for Pakistan and China to further intensify their military and economic partnership," says Pakistan's 'Dawn' newspaper.

Pakistani foreign office claimed that to China, Islamabad will continue to be a focus area in the relations between two countries.

Another paper 'The Nation' quoted unnamed Pakistani officials saying: "We have no trust issues with China. We can discuss anything. China has supported us through thick and thin. If the talks with Pompeo are not too positive, we have the options of China and Russia. Chinese FM's visit is meaningful due to its timing".

The US announced suspension of $300 million towards Coalition Support Funds for Pakistan citing that Islamabad has not done enough to fight terror.

As a quick follow up, Pakistan Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Bajwa, on special invitation, called on the President of China Xi Jinping in China on Wednesday to discuss the region's security and the challenges it is faced with.