• India
  • Mar 20

India hints at giving BRI forum a miss

India signalled that it will boycott China’s Belt and Road Forum for a second time, saying no country can participate in an initiative that ignores its core concerns on sovereignty and territorial integrity.

India boycotted the first Belt and Road Forum (BRF) in 2017 after protesting to Beijing over the controversial China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), which is being laid through Pakistan-occupied Kashmir overriding New Delhi’s sovereignty concerns.

Foreign Minister Wang Yi recently said that next month China plans to hold a much bigger, second BRF, which will also be attended by Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan. Speculation is rife whether India would attend the second BRF as China has deepened its commitment to expand the $60 billion CPEC, which aims to connect China’s Xinjiang province with Pakistan’s Gwadar port with a host of road, rail, gas and oil pipelines. China has also undertaken a host of energy projects under the aegis of the CPEC.

“Connectivity initiatives must be pursued in a manner that respects sovereignty, equality and territorial integrity of nations. No country can participate in an initiative that ignores its core concerns on sovereignty and territorial integrity,” Vikram Misri, India’s ambassador to China, said in an interview.

Along with the US and several others, India has been highlighting concerns over Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) projects leaving a number of smaller countries in debt traps.

The concerns grew louder after China took over Sri Lanka’s Hambantota port on a 99-year lease as debt swap. Several countries including Malaysia and Pakistan have wished to reduce Chinese projects over debt concerns.

Meanwhile, Premier Giuseppe Conte pledged to make Italy the first Group of Seven nation to join the ambitious BRI, despite objections from the US and concerns within his governing coalition. Italy’s signature would be considered a major legitimation of the project that envisions overland and maritime routes connecting China with Europe. A White House official has warned Italy against joining, calling it a Chinese “vanity project”.

Focus on trade deficit

Meanwhile, India has expressed concern over the widening trade deficit with China, which has ballooned to more than $58 billion.

Ambassador Misri said that India is working with China for ensuring greater market access to Indian agricultural products.

He expressed concern over the growing trade deficit, which has now crossed $58 billion in more than $80 billion trade.

The bilateral trade will cross the $100 billion mark this year, he said. “However, this figure includes a deficit of $58 billion for India and this deficit has been increasing over the years. Addressing this trade deficit would be one of my priorities because it is not really sustainable in the long term,” Misri said.

India is working with China for ensuring greater market access to agricultural products such as sugar and rice, as well as various fruits and vegetables, besides pharmaceuticals and IT, which are India’s strengths, he said.

“Progress has been made in some of these areas, but translating this progress into actual and sustained exports is important. We hope that in this regard, we will receive support from the Chinese side and expand our trade basket,” he said. “In addition, we also need to address the barriers for greater access to the Indian pharmaceuticals and IT products and services in the Chinese market.”

Notes