India-China face-off

The martyring of 20 Indian soldiers by the Chinese Army in the deadliest escalation of violence between India and China on the LAC in nearly four-and-a-half decades. It has the potential to vitiate and undermine the disengagement agreed upon only a few days ago between senior military officers on both sides and harden the stand-off.

The provocation is grave, this is not the toll taken by an act of terror by a non-state actor, but a clash between two armies. India must keep a clear and determined head.

What China hopes to gain from its incursions is unclear. Since territorial control is a matter of national self-esteem, it might be playing for leverage over us in support of its agenda of Asian dominance. If this is so, it may be chasing a chimera. India is a sovereign democracy. And New Delhi’s role in global affairs and geopolitics is therefore shaped by the country’s own interests. These we are committed to guarding with all the resources at our disposal, diplomatic and military. Perhaps our diplomats should put this point across to Beijing for it to ponder.

While negotiations to defuse this crisis should continue. It’s also time for the country to stay together as it has demonstrated during such crises in the past.

Ravi Teja Kathuripalli

Hyderabad

Border clash

The serious deterioration in relations between India and China owing to the violent clash between the soldiers of the two countries in the Galwan Valley along the Line of Actual Control is bound to have far-reaching consequences.

Given the casualty toll and sensitivities involved on both sides, the prospect of further escalation of the conflict is likely to loom large for some time to come. The risk of retaliation in kind or a provocation from one side being matched with overreaction from the other side lends an ominous ring to the situation. The highly volatile situation in the mountainous terrain calls for restraint by the leaderships of both countries, notwithstanding the upsurge in nationalist sentiments.

It was sad that the bonhomie between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping was short-lived and did not translate into trust and accommodation in treacherous and remote border zones. Modi rightly displayed coolness under pressure and called for an all-party meeting. His response was measured.

An armed conflict is not an option and must be ruled out in that its terrible cost in death and suffering is too frightening to think of.

G David Milton

Maruthancode, TN

Production of medical devices

This refers to the editorial ‘The right remedy’ (June 17). The production-linked incentive on medical devices ought to be extended to all medical equipment, including paraphernalia for fighting Covid-19. The problem is excessive bureaucratic inertia and red-tape coupled with lack of requisite technical know-how by the regulators and approving agencies.

The guidelines and requisite terms of reference for manufacturers, suppliers and consumers need to be spelt out comprehensively, transparently and unambiguously.

Further, exempting certification of imports from the US and the EU is not prudent as, in the past, many developed nations have dumped defective equipment.

Priority should be accorded to those units which set up their bases in tier 2 and tier 3 cities, which shall ensue economic development of such neglected areas.

Deepak Singhal

Chennai

Economic recovery

As far as recovery of the economy during and after Covid-19 is concerned, the stimulus package of ₹20 lakh crore is not final. According to RBI Director S Gurumurthy, the revival in growth would be fast once the pandemic is brought under control. But starts-ups, in particular, have been facing severe cash crunch and if the situation continues one in three starts-ups could face closure.

Many start-ups have sought bailouts from the government, but they have not materialised. Gurumurthy’s view that the NPA norms in India are a copy those followed in the West is absolutely right. We will have to devise norms that are suited to our economy.

TSN Rao

Bhimavaram, AP

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Send your letters by email to bleditor@thehindu.co.in or by post to ‘Letters to the Editor’, The Hindu Business Line, Kasturi Buildings, 859-860, Anna Salai, Chennai 600002.

comment COMMENT NOW