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Is there a China hand behind Pakistan's Kulbhushan Jadhav death sentence?

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Rajeev Sharma
Rajeev SharmaApr 12, 2017 | 13:32

Is there a China hand behind Pakistan's Kulbhushan Jadhav death sentence?

The Kulbhushan Jadhav saga will remain on the Indian strategic radar screens for a long time, not just because of its inevitable fall-out on India-Pakistan bilateral relations, but also because of marked deterioration in India's ties with its giant neighbour in the east - China.

Suddenly, India is faced with a situation where it is up against two nuclear-armed neighbours, in the east as well as the west, both waiting for an opportunity to heap "consequences" on India for their own reasons - China over the Dalai Lama issue and Pakistan over India's surgical strikes in Pakistan occupied Kashmir last year.

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India's relations with Pakistan reaching a flashpoint over death penalty to Jadhav by a kangaroo court of Pakistan military over espionage charges coincide with the nosediving of India's relations with China. Beijing has fretted and fumed over the Dalai Lama's just-concluded visit to Arunachal Pradesh.

Voices emanating from Beijing have warned India of "consequences", and India will be ignoring these warnings at its own peril. India cannot lower its guard, militarily or diplomatically, vis a vis China.

It's not for nothing that China has been maintaining a "sweeter than honey, deeper than oceans and higher than mountains" kind of relationship with Pakistan for a long time. The timing of the sudden India-Pak flare-up over the Jadhav episode has to be seen in context of the recent chill in India-China relations.

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What if China has choreographed the current state of play in India-Pakistan relations?

What if China has choreographed the current state of play in India-Pakistan relations, with or without Pakistan's connivance, or with or without Pakistan even being aware of it? Can this be completely ruled out?

Is there a possibility that China has coaxed to poke India in the eye by playing the Jadhav card and stir up the India-Pakistan cauldron to divert attention so that it can mount its own reprisal against India in some ways?

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Or even worse, is there a possibility that China and Pakistan are working in tandem to give India its biggest strategic nightmare?

There are no easy answers to these questions. Well, these are only a few probable scenarios and though howsoever outlandish these may seem India will have to remain on guard in every possible way.

One must not forget that China is the native land of master military strategist Sun Tzu whose 2,500-years-old military lessons are still followed in various war theaters of the world today.

Sample a few The Art of War teachings of Sun Tzu which ring out to be alarmingly fitting in today's context as far as India is concerned:

- We cannot enter into alliances until we are acquainted with the designs of our neighbours.

- Do not repeat the tactics which have gained you one victory, but let your methods be regulated by the infinite variety of circumstances.

- Great results, can be achieved with small forces.

- The greatest victory is that which requires no battle.

However, one may add here another age-old traditional tactic of putting enemy's enemy against one another.

These are testing times for India's diplomacy. No knee-jerk reactions will work.

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Only cool-headed pragmatic diplomacy will.

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Last updated: April 13, 2017 | 12:12
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