While the Chinese president’s trip concluded with a joint statement and the signing of trade and investment deals, it achieved little in terms of addressing pressing global problems and bilateral issues.
To maximise gains from their bilateral relations, India and Indonesia have to tread a middle path - a mix of furthering economic complementarities while competing to attract foreign investments.
In the absence of reforms in several areas, DPP-2011 may not be able to achieve its stated objectives of expeditious procurement and greater involvement of domestic industry in defence production.
The Indian Government, and the Foreign policy establishment in particular, can do more to leverage the vast collective experience of Indians in Indonesia and channel it towards the larger ends of bilateral cooperation.
The success of the visit was limited to strengthening links of economic diplomacy between the two Asian giants, ignoring the geo-political and strategic issues that act as de-stabilisers in Sino-Indian relations.
This Brief uses irony to communicate five propositions, that can be found in several discourses on Sino-Indian ties. It evaluates these propositions in the light of the tangible and intangible gains from Premier Wen Jiabao’s second official visit to India.
