Fantasy called expansionism

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 Fantasy called expansionism

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• PM at Ladakh: PM Modi addressed troops in Ladakh, blaming the expansionist neighbour for his audacity but not naming China. He warned that the "era of expansionism" was over. But expansionism is not unique to China - both Pakistan and India also qualify for it.
• China's expansionism: Xi Jinping unleashed this new era of geopolitical spread, and is crushing the aspirations of almost all neighbours, terrestrial or maritime. Just like India carries the historical story of "Akhand Bharat" of Mauryan or Gupta times, the Chinese do so too. The "Akhand China" fantasy is of the Qing dynasty.
• Difference between China and India: In China, that dream is of the party that's the only one to rule, for ever. In India, it's the dream of a party that is currently in power. So China's dream is far more destabilising.
• Ladakh and Arunachal: For the Chinese, the real game is Arunachal Pradesh (83000 sqkm), and not Ladakh. They want to grab it by force, which is not possible. Still, the force of nationalism is so strong that one makes silly efforts. It is irredentism fuelling it - the belief that the country must become what it was at some time in history.
• What the PM said: China got upset with it, but the statement applies to Pakistan too. It lost East Pakistan while trying to take entire J&K from India. While doing that, they were reduced to a military state, with a single agenda, and economy suffered badly as a result.
• Israel and Pakistan: Both rose in the post WW II world at the same time. Israel was the promised land for Jews, and Pakistan the "fortress of Islam for the subcontinent's Muslims". 
• Both started as democracies, and were favourite of US since the beginning.
• Israel raced ahead politically, economically and socially.
• Pakistan is a Chinese protectorate today, practically. 
• Pakistan's per capita income is now 30% lower than India's, and Bangladesh has beaten it in all parameters.
• A reason Bangladesh raced ahead was it could divorce itself from the Kashmir dream of Pakistan.
• What about India: India is committed to defending out borders, and reclaiming the ones shown on our map. 
• Despite 4 large wars and many small ones, India hasn't gained any new land.
• There are two parliamentary resolutions to win back every inch of land on the map as shown, those being in Chinese or Pakistani possession as on date.
• So all three want some or the other territory from the the others. And none is succeeding.
• Only way out: Territory will be lost only if one nation is destroyed. Since all three are nuclear powers, that is not possible.
• Irredentism: The idea rose in late 19th century Italy. Since then, any nation that has chosen that route has paid the price, and gained nothing. Time for all three Himalayan neighbours to think afresh.

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