‘Right in the middle of this…’: Rahul Gandhi on how India can navigate the US-China tightrope

Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi spoke about how India could navigate the tricky terrain between the US and China – both powerhouses on opposing sides. 

He said that on one hand China is our neighbour with increasing power and on the other India has a great relationship with the US. “Look, the world is changing. There’s a huge increase in China’s power. China is our neighbour, and we have a relationship with the United States. So we are right in the middle of all this geopolitical change. We need a long-term strategic vision; it shouldn’t be just one tactical move after another,” said Gandhi during a media interaction at the National Press Club in Washington DC. 

The Congress leader said India would need to lay down the foundation for the long term and follow its path.  

“From our perspective, the central elements of that vision must be democratic ideas and he values our freedom fighters like Mahatma Gandhi fought for – peace, nonviolence, cooperation, and harmony,” he said, adding that India is “very smart” and would be able to do it well. 

Gandhi cautioned that to do this navigation well, India needs to have a very good sense of itself and its nature. “That’s where I don’t agree with the current dispensation. When you imagine yourself to be something you’re not, that’s when problems arise. India is a very plural country, India is an open country, India is not just one idea, India is multiple ideas. When you imagine yourself to be something you’re not, that’s when all your strategic problems begin,” he said.

The Congress leader stated that India’s biggest strategic asset, which is its democracy, is being weakened. “It’s not just India’s asset, it’s a global asset because it’s so significant. It’s a global public good. It’s being attacked in India,” he said.

Gandhi further said that he does not like a world where democracy would weaken or disappear.

Speaking about India’s relationship with the US, Gandhi said that the Congress party is aligned with the Modi government’s policy on the US. However, he said that they differ from the current dispensation’s policy on China.