Revival of the Nehruvian Asian Axis

By Sachin Jose

     It was one of the Nehruvian dreams to create an Asian Axis after Second World War with India and China at its core. The Panchsheel principles were developed in the light of this vision. But it fell into disrepair owing to the 1962 Sino-Indian war.

    However, the two countries had peacefully co-existed as great civilisations for several millennia without having taken any belligerent move against each other. They were one of the leading centres of ancient culture and technology. Also, India and China were part of the ancient Silk Road and the colonial Spice Route.

    Likewise in the modern era, the two giants should hold hands together to retrieve the "lost riches of the East," which was plundered by colonial greed. Instead of considering each other as first-rate rivals, leading to border skirmishes and incursions, they must increase bilateral ties.

     A series of high-level meetings in the past five years has shown that China is keen to make an ally of India. But both countries need to refrain from provoking each other. China has to lessen their involvement in South Asia and the Indian Ocean littoral countries while India is obliged to refrain from interfering in the Pacific with Japan, the USA and the ASEAN (Association of South East Asian Nations).

     They have conducted strategic exercises together as part of counter-terrorism and maritime security. China must accept India’s hegemony in the Indian Ocean and the surrounding Bay of Bengal and Arabian Sea, while India must leave the South China Sea and the western half of Pacific under the Chinese dominion.

      Both the nations have been working together in several organisations like G20 and BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa). Last year, the World Bank forecasted that the Sino-Indian bilateral trade would hit $100 billion (Rs 61,850 crore) by 2015 from $ 66.4 billion (Rs 41,068 crore) recorded in 2012.

     The two fast-growing economies need separate forums for themselves within the BRICS or G20. Also, there must be sharing of knowledge and culture so as to strengthen ties between people of both nations.

     Just because they are energy-hungry, they must not eat up each other. There are examples of historical enemies that have turned up as strong allies. Britain, France and Germany had fought each other for centuries, but European Union is now one of the peaceful regions in the world, which won them Nobel Peace Prize last year.

     Similarly, the two potential superpowers can mould Asia into a peaceful continent, which has the highest number of nuclear powers and thereby restore the Oriental hegemony. The governments of both nations must realize this fact so that their citizens shall once again chant the once popular mantra, “Hindi-Chini, bhai-bhai” – Indians and Chinese are brothers.