Though it should not be construed as a fundamental change in India’s “one China” policy, recent events suggest that New Delhi is keen to improve relations with Taiwan, heralding a departure from a cautious approach in deference to Beijing’s sensitivities.
India, the world’s largest democracy, sees many common traits with Taiwan and its democratic structures. The most significant evidence of Taiwan-India relations warming up was provided when ROC President Ma Ying-jeou made a stopover in Mumbai en route to Africa in early April, an event that went almost unnoticed by India’s media.
The visit, part of a phenomenon called “refueling diplomacy,” is historic because India had never allowed a serving ROC president to land on Indian soil. The ROC Ministry of Foreign Affairs described Ma’s stopover as a “sign of improving ties” with India, even though New Delhi itself barely remarked on the event.
Taiwan’s ties have improved with India, as the MOFA rightly said. Another sign of this can be seen in the island’s move to open a representative office in Chennai, bringing the total on the subcontinent to two. There is no question that strengthening bilateral ties have necessitated this development.
India’s decision to greenlight Ma’s stopover indicates that the country is slowly but surely asserting an independent position in foreign affairs, demonstrating an unprecedented nonchalance towards mainland China, which generally reacts by kicking up a stink whenever it finds Taiwan getting too close to any nation.
Of course, the present state of tranquility in the Taiwan Strait, characterized by growing trade and direct air links between the two sides, contributed to India’s decision to allow Ma to land in Mumbai.
India, of course, does not need mainland China’s prior approval to permit visits by foreign heads of state on its soil. In addition to allowing Ma’s stopover, New Delhi has been taking some “bold initiatives,” to quote Indian experts, by encouraging its companies to explore for oil and gas in the disputed South China Sea with Vietnam. This is a sign of India’s growing assertiveness in foreign affairs where it has, in the past, played a low-key role.
Ma had originally wanted to stop in Dubai but later opted for Mumbai. The Dubai refueling visit would have hardly bothered mainland China, but India—as a democracy and a competitor—is quite another matter. Beijing keeps a close eye on New Delhi’s Taiwan and Tibet positions as these are areas of great sensitivity; but this time it decided to overlook the Ma visit. Many Indian pundits argue that peaceful cross-strait relations are the reason for this decision.
India has a long-standing border dispute with mainland China, which although dormant, is occasionally resurrected by Beijing to needle New Delhi. However, it is unlikely that either side would allow the dispute to escalate into a full-fledged war.
The ROC’s present government has initiated a number of conciliatory steps to put Beijing at ease and defuse much of the tension in their exchanges. In addition to strong business ties under the Cross-Straits Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement (ECFA), tourism ties are on the up and up with more mainland Chinese tourists permitted to visit Taiwan.
While these steps have further helped India show greater accommodation toward Taiwan, one cannot ignore the fact that New Delhi’s policy has become more assertive toward Beijing. India also believes that strong ties with Taiwan would serve its interests and those of other countries in the region.
Taiwan is perceived as a “good card” in India’s hand when dealing with mainland China, which in the past has shown no hesitation in using its own deck of “cards” to achieve diplomatic and economic goals.
It is no secret that India has aspirations to peacefully evolve from a regional into a world power. Signs of New Delhi’s interest in closer ties with Taipei reflect this fact, highlighting impressive headway made by both nations in reciprocal commerce, education and culture exchanges.
It would be interesting if Taiwan tested the waters by suggesting expanded government-to-government exchanges with India. While this would challenge India’s commitment to its “one China” policy, there is little chance of any fundamental change taking place. Instead, Taiwan and India should complement each other in the common cause of resisting mainland China’s arm-twisting tactics. (JSM)
Manik Mehta is a freelance writer based in New York. These views are the author’s and not necessarily those of Taiwan Today. Copyright © 2012 by Manik Mehta
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