by Jose Manimala

The Asian century truly belongs to, friendly, incredible India. Indian Pegasus is just now beginning only taking wings.

Sure, China caught us by surprise. Trust me. The current lull at Galwan and US meddling is the usual calm before the storm.

Galwan face-off is a blessing in disguise. It jolted out Indian Colossus from hibernation. 

Much over-hyped Chinese century, fizzled out before our eyes even before launch. The latest Chinese export COVID, is doing rounds and gives a great image for China's brand. Sure, it will make wonders. China model is dead even in sub-Saharan Africa 

In India, foreign COVID patients were treated like royalty. Especially in Kerala, They all promised to return. Many said they will settle in India. No wonder our ancient adage Atithi Devo Bhava, ‘Guest is King’ won over them. In the long run, it will do wonders for India.

American diplomats, even healthy ones, shuttled around filthy Chinese COVID centers like dirty baggage.

China found an odd target to settle its Century of Humiliations; India. A nonparticipant. The real culprits were the West, Russia, and Japan. 

Well, the Chinese will see the Indians aren't lotus-eaters anymore.

We found we are almost alone. Fortunately for India, Turkey, Malaysia and OIC showed their true colours way earlier. In the 1971 Bangla war, we stared down the US, China, and the UK.

Armchair Generals and TV Pundits endlessly argue counterforce - value variables, strategic calculus, Parity, supremacy, etc. Many of them don’t know the difference between a pistol and a revolver. They often label the Iranians as Arabs.

But common man is seething over Chinese impunity. They want retaliation. Sure, there will be retribution. 

Our Prime Minister is a patient, honourable man. Chinese betrayal and butchering of our soldiers in a cowardly, barbaric way in cold blood won’t go unpunished. Chinese spilled the first blood. Now Indian wrath is coming their way.

Sure, limited war and calling Chinese nuclear bluff is the pressing need of the hour. But before putting the Chinese on the backfoot, I hope our great Prime Minister will accomplish these urgent tasks.

Creation of National Emergency Fund to tide over COVID. Food, Basic Medicine, and clothing to low-income groups. Also, we must slash Chinese Octopus' tentacles one by one. The app ban is surely the right first step. As I argued for a long time, Neutralizing the entrenched Chinese fifth column, JNU, CAA, Radical Feminism and anarchist media is long overdue.

Pentagon pushed Russian brains and technology deep into the waiting Chinese hands. A danger to the whole free world including India. India should tap Russian expertise.

Leased nuclear submarines can't participate in a war. We must fast track purchase of Yasen and Borei class submarines, Tupolev Tu-160 heavy strategic bomber, Prometheus s 500 Missile defence system and Sukhoi Su-57 fighters. 

Russian Far East’s shrinking one crore inhabitants apprehensively look beyond their border at fifteen crore greedy Chinese. Already Russia has three million illegal Chinese aliens. Russians preserve forests, animals, and plants on their side. But just across the border, voracious Chinese destroy everything. 

West's four-decade-long honeymoon with China is over. They desperately need 1.3 billion strong Indians to counter China; their nemesis. Suddenly, India and democracy are in vogue. So many literary prizes and beauty crowns come this way.

Well before Galwan, American, Russian defence delegations were in Delhi on the same day. They need us more than we need them to weigh down the balance against China. 

India is the foremost, free investment haven. Foreigners can withdraw their money whenever they please in sharp contrast to China. India ride over terrorism, disasters even prolonged proxy war for a long time. 

We, a peaceful democracy surrounded by enemies and dubious neighbours, 

should switch our military doctrine to offensive mode. Any war, may it thermonuclear, biological, chemical, g geological, economic, climatic, or cyber can be fought and won if you have the will. Like Russia or Israel. 

India should assert itself as the dominant Asian power. Hostile powers fund, guide insurgency in India, and drag down Indian ascendancy. We should unleash aggressive covert wars against them.

Dictatorships pooh-poohed our liberal policy. But we got the last laugh. Ignoring our domestic hypocrites' sermons, we imported western culture. Yes. But in due course, we export Indian culture around the world. On the global stage, everything is two-way. Had we closed our doors to the west like dictatorships, we too would have remained an unknown culture. 

Commerce, information, and entertainment are merging into a vast shopping mall. Distance is no more a problem. Books, films, and music help East-West cultural integration

Hindi films Gate crash into the Top 10 UK, US charts. It is popular even in Pakistan. Tamil films are Japanese craze. American, British books top Indian bestseller lists. While Vikram Seth and Arundathi Roy fascinate western readers. London has more Indian restaurants than Bombay and Delhi combined. Saudi youth risk official wrath to watch Hindi films. Literature and arts working as new age cultural ambassadors. 

Here, India holds the trump card over China. Chinese remind West China is the center of the earth. They brag about their racial, cultural superiority. But the world knows China is neither. Small countries are apprehensive about Chinese care. In contrast, India's growing power and clout are welcomed by the entire free world.

Thanks to our progressive, liberal leadership, Indian fashion, films, music, and society is popular in all continents. Many kidnapped Indian victims in the poorest Africa and the Middle East were released after singing Hindi songs. Especially Bachchan songs. But are there any takers for Chinese songs?

This is hardly a new phenomenon. At the height of the cold war, smuggled American films were the most sought after item in the USSR. Pakistani rangers admitted to a US journalist that Amitabh Bachchan and Sridevi are better actors. Rapid technological growth only accelerates this process.

Many predicted the paperless office and the extinction of books. But now books top Internet sales. Offices consume more paper, ordinary books are very convenient. Even sophisticated screens aren’t suitable for long reading. People like to keep hard copies. They have minimal trust in electronic storage.

Americans cared only about their self-interest. In 1971, they threw away their old, loyal ally Taiwan for China. They paid lip service to democracy and backed by the world's most ruthless and cruellest butchers; Pol Pot, Stalin, Suharto, Hoxha, Ceausescu, Mao and Jiang Zemin.

Throughout the eighties and nineties, America courted China, the most oppressive dictatorship. They ignored democratic India. But it’s changing.

For about four decades China aims nuclear missiles at American, Russian, and Indian populations, industrial centres.

In 1962, China attacked India and proved to the Soviets China will attack any Soviet ally with impunity.

Throughout the 80s UK, USA and Canada sheltered anti-Indian Sikh terrorists. Then 9/11. Now there are moves to resurrect Khalistan there. 

2001, 9/11 see the humiliating eclipse of the self-proclaimed lone super power. Surprisingly, American decline began in 1991. Greece-Rome, Portugal-Spain, France-Britain, and USSR-USA, when one global power retires, its rival also inevitably fades out. 

Welcome to twenty-first century global arena. Feverish Hare Mammon chants intoxicate you. Gods of this new world, fund managers, coldly analyse your viability. Tube, cyber convergence instantly beam your performance around the world. Roaring free-trade winds force all doors open. Sorry, you are on your own. But wheeling-dealing, if remain undetected, is okay!.

Though software and military hardware dominate US-Indian talks, they are only secondary. America seeks Mukthi in India’s neo-religious cults, post-modern gurus, and new age philosophies. They generously give back India their freewheeling spirit, entrepreneurship, and start-up culture. 

Chinese said to the visiting Gen. Sundarji," The Strong (China) will act. The weak (India) will talk. China swallowed the righteous Tibetans. Dharma and Karma are different things.

America respected the erstwhile USSR only for its unique ability to wipe out the USA.

India is the proud meeting point of East and West. Liberty, knowledgebase, English, Intellectual capital, innovative power, private sector, world-class managers, HR potential, scientific man pool and cosmopolitan outlook give us tremendous advantage over China .

Indian century surely has arrived. We are blessed with hard and soft power.

Jose Manimala Pala tracks military and aerospace issues closely. Views expressed are of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of IDN