Traditional and non-traditional security threats (economic and military competition, climate change, piracy, radical ideology, cyber threats, drug and human trafficking, and energy and food security) have grown in magnitude.

Power, whether economic, political or military, is fractured.

Trade and technology are at the heart of a new round of competition and contestation.

Nationalism and regionalism are on the rise. There is less multilateralism but greater multi-polarity. Hedging and multi-alignment are the order of the day.

21st century is the Indo-Pacific region century:

Global engines of economic growth over the past three decades have shifted to Asia, first to the Asia-Pacific and now, more broadly, to the Indo-Pacific region that includes South Asia.

The continent, home to over half the global population, has emerged as the new fulcrum for geo-economic and geo-strategic realignments.

High economic growth rates across the region are accompanied by some of the highest military expenditures in the world.

In the face of automation, countries are undertaking structural reforms and emphasising skills-training to raise productivity. Development and adoption of green technology is also a priority.

Even Saudi Arabia, the quintessentially hydrocarbon-dependent economy, has endeavoured to diversify its economy through the Saudi Vision 2030 master-plan.

Obstacles of Exports Ahead:

• The liberal trading order has encountered protectionism in the form of tariff and non-tariff barriers, which explains why India’s service exports which touch $29.6 billion in the U.S. market.
• Pharma products, especially generic drugs, which account for 20% of global generic medicines, have barely been able to scratch the surface in the Chinese market.
• Cheaper imports from China, which practices “state capitalism”, threaten domestic manufacturing in India.
• Movement of talent and the services sector, important for India, have not received satisfactory attention.
• Many of these concerns are central to India’s position on the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP).
• There is a looming danger for developing countries on account of ‘zero-sum’ mercantilism and rising protectionism in western economies.
• There is no doubt that the S.-China trade war has been disruptive. Geopolitical considerations are increasingly driving trade and investment decisions.
• On the other hand, geo-economic forces unleashed by China’s economic rise are redefining the geo-strategic landscape of the Indo-Pacific region.
• Worryingly, the global economy is likely to grow at its slowest pace in a decade, at 3% in 2019.
• Key anchors in the global economy, including China, are experiencing a slowdown. Asia is witnessing the simultaneous rise of several powers.

Shaping trade, economy for two Asian giants:

• As China’s presence in South Asia grows, greater transparency in its actions and closer consultations with India are also necessary to help allay concerns. China should also be mindful of its forays into the Exclusive Economic Zone of others.
• Today, the global energy market is more favourable to consumers in the face of a supply side glut.
• OPEC and non-OPEC oil and gas producers have come together to prevent a fall in energy prices. This should be a common concern for China and India.
• As two of the world’s biggest importers of oil and gas, the two nations should have a joint consultative mechanism to protect the interests of consumers.
• Both India and China are expected to contribute to global economic growth in the future.
• India is also transforming into a knowledge-based, skill-supported and technology-driven society.
• A liberal FDI regime combined with a youthful demographic profile makes India an attractive destination. India attaches great importance to its relations with China, a large trade partner in goods.
• The RCEP should have a wider ambit, including trade in services.
• Many countries (especially Japan which still boasts the world’s second-largest developed economy) have openly favoured a more accommodating position that addresses India’s concerns and facilitates its joining the RCEP.
• China too should pro-actively work to ensure India’s membership.
• Beyond jointly training Afghan diplomats under the “India-China Plus One” framework, China and India could explore the potential to work together on Asian infrastructure and connectivity development on the basis of equality and an open and transparent model under the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB).

Trade Balance with China:

Bilateral trade for India and China today is approximately $95 billion.

India faces a huge and rising trade imbalance. The decision at the Mamallapuram Summit, to set up a new mechanism to discuss the trade imbalance, is aimed at addressing this issue.

As members of several multilateral institutions, India and China are in a unique position to give shape to their economic destinies.

There are suggestions that the era of the World Trade Organisation (WTO)-anchored, Most Favoured Nation (MFN)-based regime is drawing to a close and that the future lies in a web of free trade agreements.

However, there is still scope for India and China to work together to strengthen the WTO.

Chinese Investments in India:

Since 2015, there has been a spurt in Chinese FDI in India (at around $8 billion).

There is great scope for China to participate in flagship initiatives such as the ‘Smart Cities Mission’ and ‘Skill India’ programmes.

As the world’s second-largest economy, China can and must play a constructive role globally and within Asia to help the world return to higher growth rates.

Therefore, for India the need of the hour is “if the world is different, we need to think, talk and engage accordingly. The wheels of change appear to have been set in motion.

There is also a need to focus on establishing partnerships, networks and an innovation system that enhance a country’s ability to share knowledge and information.

Conclusion:

Countries need to respond with policies, programmes, institutions and partnerships that maximize their economic opportunities while sustaining social fabric.

Governments must re-evaluate not only where to spend their S&T resources but also how to spend them more effectively.

There is also a need to focus on establishing partnerships, networks and an innovation system that enhance a country’s ability to share knowledge and information.

It must be remembered that Asia’s rise is predicated on peace and stability. It is a sad fact that a stable regional security architecture has yet to emerge organically in Asia.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had stated at the Raisina Dialogue in 2017: that there is enough room for all Asian countries to prosper together, and that the Asia of rivalry will hold us all back. It is the Asia of cooperation that will shape this century.