Can the current pandemic and 3 Cs (Covid, Corona and China) rekindle a resurgent India?

Can the current pandemic and 3 Cs (Covid, Corona and China) rekindle a resurgent India?

Can the current pandemic and 3 Cs (Covid, Corona and China) rekindle a resurgent India?

The resilience and exemplary unity - amidst unending diversity - with which India is facing Covid 19, notwithstanding difficulties of unprecedented proportions that a large section of our society – reverse migrating labours included - is facing while abiding by the SOPs of Covid until now and in the extended national lockdown, has helped India in combating the rampaging pandemic with fair amount of success. We can call it a success particularly because when we compare our Covid numbers with most other developed nations, our stand gets vindicated as of now. Our achievement is more profound when one looks at the Himalayan difficulties that is a reality in India, be it our population, it’s density, slums, and what not and so also a relatively limited health infrastructure that presently exists in India. This achievement is all the more appreciable when one looks at the vast diversity of India, in terms of its religious, linguistic, caste, creed, social status, political ideologies and bickering difference, that exists in the Indian society, which gets played out when one looks at the debates that are seen 24x7 in news channels and so also in social media.

But then despite all these diversities and differences what is it that is keeping India so steadfastly united, in such an hour of crisis. The whole of India has more or less stood as one -Team India - to take on the Covid challenges.  Our constitution apart, which of course is central to our unity in diversity, there are three Cs - which I had used as metaphor for team India, while curating the three Cricket exhibitions - CRICKET, CINEMA and CURRY (Chilly), which has a common connect with all of India irrespective of our cast, creed, religion, language, political affiliations, ideologies, gender and what have you. All of us who have travelled most parts of our country will have noticed that people across India are very closely and passionately associated and connected with these three Cs and so are you and I. And when the discussion centres around these three Cs one thing is certain every Indian can be taken on board on these subjects.

Since the three Cs (Cricket, Cinema and Curry) inexplicably arouse nation’s consciousness, can we harness the power of Indians connected tryst with 3 Cs - the way Ekta Kapoor has been harvesting TV serial successes (scientifically unfounded) by starting her most serials  with the alphabet 'K' - and harvest an opportunity that another set of three Cs (Corona, China and Covid 19) may have brought for us, post the current pandemic? Before you accuse me of being unscientific, let me explain, what I mean. The current global pandemic situation is inextricably linked with another sets of 3Cs - China, Corona and Covid 19. The whole world is affected by these three Cs and it is these 3 Cs which have compelled whole of India to stand united, as team India, in combating the pandemic by supporting our leaders, health workers, Covid warriors, police and administration and so also the state and national leadership. The Covid combat support that team India is giving to the Covid warriors, can best be compared with the support that we all extend to our cricket players and cine stars, who are some times revered in India. So, may be this unity spirit can be harvested post the Covid pandemic for planning and conceiving a new India.

The coronavirus pandemic, which started from China, by the time it’s done, would perhaps have set the stage for altering the global power dynamics and a new norm is likely to set in primarily because of the way in which each of the countries are fighting the onslaught of Covid-19 on their own; and also because of the failure of global institutions to influence China’s actions and, thus, contain the economic fallout, which is quite staggering and is estimated to run into 2 trillion $.  The global Covid 19 pandemic and its impact, particularly in US and European countries, will not only cast its shadow on the global financial markets, but is certain to derail economic activity and China, which is central to the current mess, is likely to face some backlash actions, if not immediately but definitely in long term and in the years to come. Therefore this may be  be a God sent opportunity for India, which I am certain India will definitely use. Most analysts have revised, downward, their global growth projections in this backdrop. A number of companies, they say, are now increasingly looking to diversify their manufacturing base out of China and India has a best chance to attract these companies and to create a new world order in the field of manufacturing and also supply chain, away from China to India.

Until the end of 2019, it was business as usual for most parts of the world but it may not have been so for China, which perhaps was completely hiding the Covid cases from the international community. The Chinese authorities informed WHO, in end of December of a possible new contagion purportedly emanating from Wuhan wet market. Rest is now history and there are many questions that continue to be unanswered by the Chinese, which perhaps could have helped in slowing down this global pandemic. This un expected shock by the Chinese has given our leaders and planners an opportunity to rethink everything from evaluating public health preparedness to global supply chains of goods and services and converting this threat into an opportunity of wooing foreign investors to shift base from highly secretive and closely controlled China to India.

These days we come across several messages in social media and also in the news that global leaders, particularly President Trump, are questioning the inevitable role and responsibility of China in this global pandemic and are having a relook on the socio economic and geopolitical power equations with China. The Chinese government, although claims to have informed the world community well in advance and that it is hiding no truth, most countries are not convinced as more and more inside information is trickling out of China and its complicity in the pandemic cannot be brushed under the carpet.

The world is slowly recognising the lack of transparency in China and so also its accountability. The world order is likely to change due to Covid-19 and what is clear is that the Chinese government’s totalitarianism and lack of transparency will no longer be allowed to hurt the world. The world leaders will be united in their understanding that today it may be Covid-19, tomorrow it could be something completely new and that could be their financial system, no one knows what it could be that may create global problems, like the current Covid crisis. What is clear is that the global leaders and industry captains will realise that it is time to shift from dictatorial and closely guarded and opaque China to other countries, who are open, transparent and are ruled by democracy. Currently 80% of global supply chains comes from China, primarily because of considerations of profits. The world has now observed Chinese authority's deliberate attempt to hide a preventable crisis and consequent repercussions across the world markets. And that is the fundamental problem with closed regimes with regulated public discourse. It helps in creation of a convoluted informational flow which will inevitably crash and burn. This will therefore open out new vistas for India, which must be harvested. Based on the Global Competitiveness Index, India is the most competitive country in South Asia and we have a competitive advantage in the services including in areas that include Information Technology Services, Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology, and Medical tourism sectors and to top it all we are a democratic country and with proficiency in English. 

The market reforms introduced in India have tried to create  a solid platform for Make in India and the Invest India initiatives of Prime Minister Narendra Modi are also getting eye balls. I am hopeful that the lessons learnt during the Covid crisis will help our planners to fix our economy, and put in place well thought out and transparent policy for economic reforms, which would attract the foreign investment and tempt international community and captains of industry to shift their base from China to India. COVID-19 could be very helpful for political posturing of economic reforms to attract foreign investors to India. We must therefore never let the Covid crisis and the lessons learnt go to waste.

India has a massive advantage of an young population and add to that our strength in IT and our prowess in producing hundreds of thousands people who also have proficiency in speaking the queens language to attract global investors. We must not forget that some 35 years ago, the Indian and Chinese economy were on par when it came to exports of certain types of goods and services. The Chinese economy experienced massive growth, in part, due to substantial market friendly reforms. If a communist country, which doesn’t speak English or share little values with western world, can serve the world economy, so definitely can India. But then for this to happen and for us to move on from Covid crisis and attract foreign investors, all of us must unite the way we do when it comes to loving our three Cs - Cricket, Cinema and Curry.

Once the pandemic is brought under control, India must actively engage in planning for the above issues and start rebuilding a national consciousness for an united resurgent India, which will be highly attractive to the global community. Until then let us pledge to do our duty and to stay home and stay safe. 

Jai Hind.