UPSC Mains 2021 · GS II · Q10 · 10 marks · 150 words

“The USA is facing an existential threat in the form of a China, that is much more challenging than the erstwhile Soviet Union.” Explain.

हिन्दी में

“संयुक्त राज्य अमेरिका, चीन के रूप में एक ऐसे अस्तित्व के खतरे का सामना कर रहा है जो तत्कालीन सोवियत संघ की तुलना में कहीं अधिक चुनौतीपूर्ण है।” विवेचना कीजिए।

How a topper answered the closest question

Toppers wrote this one in a test series: “The new cold war between the USA and China may have the effect of casting a long shadow on India's strategic interests from Pacific to Atlantic. Evaluate.”

Srishti DabasAIR 6 · CSE 2023 · 245 wordsTheir whole copy

Opening

The current geopolitical world order is in a state of flux as the centre of gravity has shifted from Europe/Atlantic to 'Indo Pacific'.

Body · points and prose

New Cold war

It is said that world is shifting

Diagram
[Pax Americana] --Δ--> [Pax Sinica] | v [rising Chinese preponderance]

American hegemony is declining

  • exit from Afghanistan
  • unilateral withdrawal of JCPOA
  • exit from Unesco
  • setback by covid

rising Chinese preponderance

  • claims in South China Sea
  • BRI and Maritime Silk Route
  • alternative financing arrangements: AIIB

Chinese presence is rising as → (1) Recently docked secret satellite (balloon) over America. (2) recently held Indian Ocean Region Forum for Development without Indian presence. (3) docked Yuan Wang at Hambantota - danger of surveillance over India.

All these recent developments may cast shadow on India's strategic interests as → (1) rising border skirmishes with China:

Diagram
|-------|-------| Dokhlam Galwan Tawang 2016 2020 2022

(2) Chinese military expenditure is four times that of India. (3) India crossed $100 bn trade deficit with China - hurting forex reserves & dream to become $5 trillion economy.

(4) Chinese revanchist tendencies as a predatory hegemon are driving India's neighbours towards China: - eg Nepal, Bhutan.

(5) It is said - "India promises, China delivers" leading to stalled projects by India in Africa.

(6) Chinese String of Pearls and debt trap diplomacy.

Yet, India is countering the threats → to create Necklace of Diamonds → through supply chain resilience initiative, IPEF, China plus one → Quad and I2U2. → Aatmanirbhar Bharat-

Close

to establish itself as a power pole in the region.

4 more toppers’ answers to this question, part by part, and how they all approached it: open the question.

Source: UPSC, Civil Services (Main) Examination 2021, General Studies Paper II, Q10. The paper on upsc.gov.in. Themes and links to toppers’ answers are by UPSC Grade, not by UPSC.