Modi’s China visit would be the real test for Indian diplomacy to prevail upon the old friend but as Chinese are famous for not opening their mind to others it will be a tough proposition for Modi, with its expanding regional hegemony and a silent West not clear to handle China, to articulate balancing act regarding India’s security and economic interest which would be good to watch under these circumstances. China’s recent tie-up with Pakistan for getting berthing and fueling facilities for its naval and merchant vessels at Gawdar and India developing Iran’s Chahbahar port through extending financial assistance has opened India’s western front for Chinese scrutiny. India has considerable valuable interests in the western sector with Bombay High and commercial growth along with a busy marine traffic. The proposed road and pipleline running through Pak occupied Kashmir by China would make India vulnerable. The recent deepening of Chinese-Pakistan relations with former promising more submarines and aircraft to Pakistan could even embolden it to carry on its asymmetrical warfare with Indian interest. In the eastern front India’s offshore oil explorations in Vietnam’s exclusive economic zone which has been challenged by China would become more vulnerable as Indian Navy would be operating in South China Sea. In Northeast we already have a dispute over Arunachal Pradesh areas. India with its maritime boundaries extending up to southern tip of Andaman and Nicobar Islands, oil exploration in Vietnam in east and Bombay High in west she would have to relook its strategy to contain the growing influence of China and how Modi is able to workout an amicable way is to be watched from his recent visit. With Chinese dominance so prominent even in domestic market and a weak Indian response and silence of West and Europe how Modi conducts his China trip is to be watched cautiously which could be one of the toughest challenge for Prime Minister Narendra Modi and India’s foreign policy planners.
