Page 16 - The Indian EYE 020422

Op-ED FEBRUARY 04, 2022 | The Indian Eye 16

The real global threat

is China and not Russia

Views and opinions from the top commentators in Indian media

hina with its vast economic ple of at least 1,000 voters in each
and technological prowess is assembly constituency to be able to
Cthe biggest threat to the glob- determine a clear winner. Contrary
al order. The Nato summit commu- to popular belief, the sample size
nique of June 2021 had specifically does not depend on the total num-
identified China as a systemic chal- ber of voters in a constituency but
lenge to the rules-based international only on how well representative it is
system. Hence, if Nato were to get of all the different identity and de-
bogged down in a conflict with Russia, mographic groups. As per prevailing
it would take away from internation- market prices, it costs on average Rs
al efforts needed to push back against 200-250 to survey one voter through
an alarmingly aggressive China. a field study. Which means it costs
Despite what strongmen like roughly Rs 2 to 2.5 lakhs to survey
Putin may want to believe Russia, one constituency and predict the
minus its military capability and its winner. In a large state like UP with
forays into alleged dodgy cyber in- 403 constituencies, it would cost
terference in other nations’ affairs, a total of Rs 8 crore to survey in a
isn’t a big enough power to serious- proper scientific manner.
ly disrupt the world. The country is When media publishes opin-
facing de-population, and without a ion polls, it is important to ask how
substantive economy – it primarily much did these surveys cost and
relies on military and energy exports who paid for it.
– its ability to influence matters are -- Praveen Chakravarty, NDTV
limited. A conflict started by Russia
also hurts Russia. And its alleged cy- small goveRnment
ber interference may hurt rivals but
Moscow mostly gains more mistrust. n the 1950s, first-time parliamen-
But teamed with China, Russia can tarian Atal Bihari Vajpayee asked
be a serious disruptor and further Iabout the Ashok hotel, then be-
Beijing’s interests. Thus, a better ing constructed in Delhi: Why was
approach will be to work out a mo- Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) personnel known as himveers celebrating the government building a five-star
dus vivendi with Russia in Europe the 73rd Republic Day at 15000 feet in minus 35 degrees Celsius temperature at icy Ladakh hotel and not a hospital? The stan-
and drive a wedge between Mos- dard socialist ideological response of
cow and Beijing. Nato needs to play borders with China on Wednesday (ANI) inadequate private capacity was inap-
smart here. plicable; Jamsetji Nusserwanji Tata
-- Editorial, The Times of India world’s biggest trader, the largest expecting the West to suffer eco- had set up Mumbai’s magnificent Taj
partner for imports or exports for nomically by agreeing to genuinely Mahal hotel in 1903. Prime Minister
lessons foR IndIa more than 50 countries or self-gov- tough steps against China is naïve. Nehru replied that hospitals would
erning regions. Among them: India be built from the profits earned by
n the immediate, of course, the and Taiwan. Both are on the front- -- Charu Sudan Kasturi, the luxury hotel. But Vajpayee’s sub-
military deployment of US and lines of Beijing’s territorial ambi- The Telegraph (India) stantive question was about strategy,
INATO forces to eastern Europe tions, yet both trade more with Chi- the trade-offs that reconcile unlimit-
will mean that Washington and Brus- na than with any other nation. In Ban oPInIon Polls? ed aspirations with limited resourc-
sels will have little appetite for a si- fact, India’s trade with China has es. Air India’s sale is important for
multaneous confrontation with China. increased despite rising tensions in ost opinion polls that are three reasons — priorities, resources,
In the long run, though, the fail- recent years. published in the Indian me- mindset — and is a template for the
ure of the US to build an economic Even if India and Taiwan decide Mdia are spurious and sus- Indian state to do more by doing less.
coalition against Russia should warn at some point that scaling back this pect. Let me clarify that these polls -- Manish Sabharwal, The Indian Express
India and others worried about Chi- economic relationship with China may well turn out to be right in their
na’s aggressive moves in Asia of just is a worthwhile sacrifice, that alone predictions of eventual winners. But Every week, we look at what the top
how hard any such effort aimed at wouldn’t worry Beijing beyond a that does not mean they were done commentators in the Indian media are
Beijing will prove to be. point. If Europe can’t agree on unit- in a scientific manner. Here are some talking about and bring to you a slice
At $16 trillion, China’s GDP ed economic measures against Rus- reasons why. of their opinions and comments
is 10 times that of Russia’s. It’s the sia when it is directly under threat, One needs a well stratified sam-

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