India, Israel, US and UAE set to work on joint projects including those in infrastructure and transportation sectors, in what is likely to counter Beijing’s predatory ‘BRI agenda’.
China is keeping a close watch over ‘I2U2’ a group comprising India, Israel, the US and the UAE, even though the first meeting of the forum’s leaders remained focused only on boosting economic ties and pledging to contribute to world in time of uncertainties. “With the first meeting of the group’s leaders setting a positive agenda to give push to various projects together, China has alerted its diplomats to keep monitoring every single development related to the ‘I2U2’ and update the government in Beijing on the same, top diplomatic sources told The Daily Guardian Review. The Chinese government is a bit more alarmed after a key US official said that I2U2 can become a feature of the West Asian region just like the Quad is for the Indo-Pacific, sources add.
“I2U2 first summit may have avoided giving any message on what is related to China’s challenge in the region of Middle East, but the group will keep a watch over Beijing’s belligerence in the region, where the challenges is from its predatory Belt and Road Initiative BRI,” sources say. With India, Israel, US and UAE set to expand economic ties, work on infrastructure sector and focus on maritime security cooperation in a big way, Beijing can see the writing on the wall, say sources. Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra said, “Prime Minister Narendra Modi held purposeful talks with the leaders of the I2U2 nations on strengthening the economic ties in our region and beyond.” All member countries also discussed promoting specific joint projects in the fields of water, energy, transportation, space, health and food security.
Sources say that the group’s massive involvement in promoting economic cooperation “in the region and beyond” may be a counter to Beijing on the economic front, with its BRI agenda in the backdrop. The coming together of the I2U2 member nations will also facilitate greater engagement across the Western Indian Ocean region which is strategically important due to presence of key maritime checkpoints. Major sea lanes pass through the region where I2U2 countries will be coordinating in much better way in what will give jitters to China, say sources. China’s major military base (Djibouti) is also in this region. Therefore, it is a very critical area in terms of strategic importance, say sources.
China knows that New Delhi will use its association with the I2U2 to work for its own interests in the region in a much better and more effective way. A diplomat told TDGR that the group will keep a close eye on China’s influence in the region and in Africa apart from other developing countries. “The group will be dealing with economic and humanitarian assistance in the various countries of this region where China is trying to expand its footprints,” he adds.