What are the challenges in forming a unified approach to counter-terrorism between India and China?
Prime Minister Modi mentioned that both India and China are victims of terrorism. I am interested in exploring why, despite this common issue, the two countries often struggle to work together against terrorism.
India and China, as major Asian powers and victims of terrorism, have a shared interest in countering this threat. However, despite this common ground, forming a unified approach to counter-terrorism has been challenging due to various strategic, political, and bilateral factors.
- Differences in Defining Terrorism: India and China often have different perspectives on what constitutes terrorism, especially regarding groups operating in South Asia. For example, China has been reluctant to label certain Pakistan-based groups as terrorists, which India considers a major security threat.
- China’s Strategic Partnership with Pakistan: China’s close ties with Pakistan, including economic and military cooperation, influence its stance on terrorism-related issues. China’s support for Pakistan sometimes leads to hesitancy in supporting India’s concerns about cross-border terrorism.
- Geopolitical Rivalry: The broader strategic competition between India and China, including border disputes and regional influence, makes cooperation difficult. Mutual mistrust often overshadows efforts to work together on security matters.
- Multilateral Forum Disagreements: In international organizations like the United Nations, China has blocked or delayed India’s efforts to designate certain individuals as global terrorists, citing lack of evidence or political reasons.
- Lack of Trust and Communication: Historical conflicts and ongoing border tensions reduce the level of trust needed for intelligence sharing and joint operations against terrorism.
- Different Priorities and Threat Perceptions: While India is mainly concerned about terrorism emanating from Pakistan and its neighborhood, China’s primary concerns are related to internal security in Xinjiang and separatist movements. This leads to divergent priorities in counter-terrorism cooperation.
- Domestic Political Considerations: Both countries have domestic political sensitivities regarding counter-terrorism policies, which can limit the scope for open cooperation.
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2 days ago