With China making arrangements to rush “humanitarian aid worth $2.06 million” to help earthquake relief work in Nepal, India is closely monitoring Beijing’s overall behaviour and approach during this crisis in the neighbourhood. While India wants Nepal to be helped by its neighbours at a time when its various regions have been hit by massive quakes, New Delhi is apprehensive that Beijing might be seeing opportunity in adversity there, given its dubious track record. With this in view, New Delhi through its diplomatic channels in Kathmandu and Beijing is keeping a close eye on Chinese activities in Nepal, diplomatic sources told The Daily Guardian.
“It is a tried and tested policy of China to first reach out to any crisis-ridden economically weaker country with aid and assistance, and then use the adversity as an opportunity to give impetus to its expansionist agenda there,” a diplomatic source told The Daily Guardian. After obliging Nepal with the financial and material assistance at the time of crisis, China will spare no effort to capitalise on it in future, said officials here. Significantly, Chinese officials are said to be holding regular meetings with their Nepalese counterparts amid the quake relief work. With this in view, India always remains watchful to detect suspicious Chinese activities in Nepal.
Taking a veiled swipe at this strategy of China, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar had recently warned the countries in the Indian Ocean Region and in India’s neighbourhood “to be clear of dangers of hidden agendas in unviable projects or unsustainable debt”. On several occasions in the past, Jaishankar and other officials from India have been warning the countries to be cautious against China’s debt trap diplomacy.
Recalling Jaishankar’s statement, a source said that China is in the habit of fishing in troubled waters. India has already extended a helping hand to the quake-struck Nepal. New Delhi has sent emergency materials worth Rs 10 crore to Kathmandu. After this another consignment of material and necessary items has also been sent to Nepal by India.
The relief materials arrived in Nepal via a special Indian Air Force C-130 flight at Nepalgunj.
According to sources, the Nepalese diplomats have updated Indian counterparts on China’s aid materials. According to Nepal’s urgent need, China’s aid materials mainly included cotton tents and blankets.
The officials in New Delhi say China is in the habit of racing with India in terms of extending assistance to Nepal or any other country in need of help in the neighbourhood. “In fact Beijing’s main objective is not to help the crisis-hit country but it seeks to promote its strategic agenda of increasing influence,” said officials here. “When it comes to India’s neighbourhood, China can be seen as hyperactive,” they added. “India has no problem with China sending help and aid to Nepal but it has a problem with Beijing trying to use the obligation to promote its agenda,” a source said.