In the spectre of the global turmoil that’s unfolding one thing remains clear, security alliances do serve a purpose. Though it is paradoxical, if Ukraine had any security alliance it would have breathed a little better. Russia has demonstrated that the might of the power still holds sway in geo-politics and all moralistic talks need to be backed by the strategic will to defend these virtues.
I argue that security alliances like NATO whose consensual framework remains to uphold democratic liberal order should be strengthened to check autocrats and their hegemonic ambitions. Many argue that the American neo-imperialism which was propelled by NATO’s eastern expansion stoked insecurities within Russia, but one tends to overlook the strong fact that eastern European nations strongly strived to be a part of the US-led order. They have argued multiple times about the significant positive change in their socio-economic parameters and an assurance that they will never be under the “iron curtain” again. Thus NATO did not have any of its goals to subjugate Russia or its people to the European liberal order. Hence all Russian talk of insecurities remains a veil to create vassal nation-states or else a Tsarist imperial controlled institution. This pivots us to Asia where another autocratic power is trying to bully nations towards subjugation. It’s amply clear that I am referring to China. Communist China whose dictatorial political system gives absolutely no power or will to its citizens has been dominating the region with hard power. A direct assault on India’s borders and confrontational attitude with all in the region amply exemplifies Chinese autocratic ambitions.
In this regard, I suggest an Indo-Pacific security alliance which translates into the conversion of QUAD from its all-talk-do-little shop to a full-fledged security alliance. QUAD’s framework of putting freedom and democratic consensus will remain similar to NATO and as NATO was created to put the USSR in check, QUAD too will confront a formidable adversary China. Though it is India that has to do all the heavy lifting and institutional building of the QUAD security structure because it is we who confront China on both continent and maritime theatre and also challenge its dominance in the region militarily and strategically. But we should be under no illusion that we alone can stop its hegemonic march because the sheer asymmetrical strength of the economy that China has built gives it a complete edge over us.
Many will discard my idea as war-mongering and instigating China but I see Chinese actions subverting many international laws more dangerous than Russia’s and China already has created a vassal state in Pakistan. The Chinese have built a paradigm that involves providing loans for unsustainable projects leading to either surrender of key strategic infra-projects to China or land grabbing. This policy of stealth to acquire power remains a huge obstacle to meaningful relationships with the Chinese as their moves repeatedly signal dominance and disregard for others' sensitivities. Many point toward the American uni-polar period of dominance and ask questions. The US-led global order had many instances of unilateral power projection but a democratic nation with strong institutions leading the order serves numerous benefits than any autocratic nation.
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