Sunday Lite : India Makes More Mistakes, Are We Headed In The Same Direction?

 Recently there was an air defense exhibition in India called Aero India 2023. For the first time in decades the Americans were present - obviously trying to sell their weapons to India. 

What was interesting was that the Americans brought their F35 Stealth fighters as well as their obsolete B1B Bombers which have been phased out of production in the US. 

Here is a quick video :

The first thing to note is that India is not a military superpower.  Military superpowers do not shop for weapons made by other countries. Military superpowers make their own weapons. Russia, US, China are military superpowers because they design and manufacture their own weapons (as well as sell them to other countries). 

Over 95% (of over 4000 tanks in the Indian Army) are Russian. Their airforce is almost 100% Russian (MIG, Sukhoi), French (Rafale, Mirage) and British (Harrier jump jets) made. Recently India even placed a large import order for assault rifles for the Army (from Sig Sauer of the US). So India is a "military shopping superpower". They shop for their weapons from other countries.

Obviously now the psycho Americans want to exploit India's misplaced anxieties against China and start selling weapons to India. Ostensibly to counter China but also to pull India away from the Russian orbit. Two birds with one stone. Three birds if you factor that US$20 billion of cold hard cash the Americans will earn from this weapons deal (selling 114 fighter aircraft to the Indian Airforce).

China is India's largest trading partner - in 2022 two way trade between India and China exceeded a gigantic US$135 billion. In 2023 it will reach almost US$150 Billion. And yet they want to buy American weapons, bombs and arm themselves against their neighbour who provides so much trade and wealth for their people?  Depa ini memang bodoh juga.    If they have border issues with China they should sit down and talk about it. Not buy guns and knives - from other countries. 

Over in the Philippines their new president Bong-Bong BBM has just signed away FIVE military bases to the Americans.  He has sold the Philippines to the Americans for another 50 years. Closer to home here is an American Naval Base which also serves US Navy nuclear powered aircraft carriers and nuclear armed submarines:

In Putrajaya the latest clown act appears to be more American friendly as well. World Economic Forum, Klaus Schwab coming here, giving tens of millions of Ringgit to Caliph Istanbuli are all symptoms of increasing speed inside  the American orbit. It may get worse. It may spin out of control.

We should best adopt 'Mind Our Own Business' foreign policies.

The views expressed are those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect those of MMKtT.