Former Australian diplomat, John McCarthy AO, continues to be by far our best analyst and writer on relations with India.
John is a Vice Chancellor’s Fellow at the University of Melbourne, an Adviser to the Asialink Board and a former High Commissioner to India.
It is worth revisiting an Asialink Insight he wrote in May of this year.
The Insight is titled “The Strategic Illusion of India” and in two short paragraphs he makes the case for closer diplomatic ties with India:
“Over the past two decades Australia has rightly recognized the rise of India. Its population at 1.4 billion exceeds China’s. It is the world’s third biggest economy in purchasing power parity terms and it should soon be third in nominal terms.
“We now have four diplomatic offices on the ground in India. It is our biggest source of immigrants. It is our fourth biggest export destination. Education links are burgeoning. All to the good.”
But John McCarthy’s enthusiasm for India comes with warnings.
His first was “India does not share our world view.”
His second was: “It does not expect others to come to its aid and it will not join someone else’s war.”
So, he recommends we build the relationship with patience and realism.
Great analysis. Top advice. Read more…
https://asialink.unimelb.edu.au/insights/the-strategic-illusion-of-india
Into India 