One Belt One Road initiative is a project that aspires to connect multiple countries spread across the continents of Asia, Europe, and Africa. China’s President Xi Jinping announced it in 2013. It involves building a network of roadways, railways, power grids, etc. The project covers two parts:
1) Silk Road Economic Belt: It will connect China with Central Asia, and Eastern, and Western Europe.
2) 21st Century Maritime Silk Road will connect China’s southern coast to the Mediterranean, Africa, South-East Asia, and Central Asia
China states that this initiative is for regional development and it will enhance connectivity among regions but this project will serve the diplomatic and strategic purposes of China. This initiative is often seen as China’s ambition to play a major role in global affairs and make a bigger friend circle. This project will help China build its soft power and is sometimes called China’s Marshall Plan. It will also help China to put itself in a commanding position over Asia’s heartland i.e., Eurasia. It will also facilitate trade and barriers and help establish free trade zones. The project will promote cultural and educational exchange, tourism, and cooperation in research.
OBOR project will have some potential advantages for India as it will help border areas to develop infrastructure that it presently lacks and further give a boost to industrialization and employment in the country, and it will help connect India with its neighbors improving strategic and economic relationships. China has what India needs for its own development i.e., financial capital, and technology. Further India will benefit from regional transport, blue economy, and energy security which are key to One Belt One Road.
The project seems to be beneficial but there is risk associated with also, The eight belt and road countries are at risk of debt distress as OBOR financing is through loans extended to member countries. Further, it seems to be primarily driven by broad geostrategic and geopolitical aims. It is not participatory and collaborative in nature i.e., it lacks transparency
India has so far not supported the OBOR. India security establishments are suspicious about this silk road project. The China- Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) has added up to the problem as it passes through Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (PoK) and Baluchistan and both are home to long-running insurgency where it faces terrorism and security risks and it will further infringe on the sovereignty of India. If the CPEC projects get implemented it will hamper India’s strategic interest in the South Asian region.
India has refused to join this initiative due to the risk it poses so it must focus on speeding up its own infrastructure and find ways to strengthen its influence. Some steps are already taken by India in this direction, for example, PROJECT MAUSAM- it is soft power diplomacy under India, its objective is to re-establish communication links between countries of the Indian ocean and further improve their cultural values, SAGARMALA- it seeks to improve the capacity of major and non-major ports and focus on infrastructure and connectivity, INDIAN OCEN RIM ASSOCIATION (IORA)- India is involved in this grouping which got established in 1997, CHABAHAR PORT- It is being developed in Iran, it will give access to Afghanistan, Central Asia, and Europe, bypassing Pakistan along with Iran. In order to develop regional connectivity in the Indian Ocean region and beyond India is making alliances with like-minded countries like Japan, the USA, and various multilateral institutions.
Recently, the US has revived two major infrastructure projects, New Silk Road and Indo- Pacific Economic Corridor in South and Southeast Asia. in which India is playing a major role and it will help counter China’s infrastructure push in the region.
If India joins this initiative it will provide many economic benefits such as a boost in trade, investment, business, etc. The Belt and Road initiative(BRI) will reduce the tension between India and Pakistan. All the neighbors of India except Bhutan have joined BRI and if India does not join it will remain isolated. With this initiative, several geopolitical issues can be addressed.
India needs to decide on One Belt One Road and it can not remain isolated for a long time as nearly every county across different continents have joined it. Many of the countries that have joined are in a debt crisis and the success of this project will depend on how China manages its debt. however, The tense bilateral ties between China and India and the deep mistrust between the two make it unlikely that India will join this project. The best policy that India can adopt now is “Cooperate wherever possible and Compete whenever needed”.
