The BJP’s election victory in Uttar Pradesh will lead to a more “hard line” Narendra Modi government which will be good for India’s development. An emboldened Modi government post-UP was likely to adopt a “firm and tough” posture in both domestic policy and diplomacy.This would yield for China “an opportunity to give more consideration over how to make breakthroughs in Beijing-New Delhi relations with a hard-line Indian government.
While seeming inflexible on the surface, hard-liners also have powerful strength in coming to an agreement with others once they make up their mind, given their executive ability and high efficiency. That said, we can still be optimistic in resolving our divergences, including border disputes, with New Delhi during Modi’s term as long as both sides are willing.”
“It will likely mean more difficulties in making compromises in rows with other countries. Take the border disputes between Beijing and New Delhi. No silver lining has yet emerged and Modi demonstrated his firm stance over the issue by celebrating Diwali, India’s biggest holiday, with soldiers at the Sino-Indian border.
It noted that Modi’s government had changed India’s diplomacy, chiefly by being more confident and changing “India’s previous attitude of trying never to offend anyone and started to take a clear stance in controversies among other nations to maximise its own interests”.
With Modi in pole position for the 2019 elections, it was for China “an opportunity to give more consideration over how to make breakthroughs in Beijing-New Delhi relations with a hard-line Indian government.”
It said Modi had enhanced ties with China and Russia, and pushed India’s entry into the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO). At the same time, he had also deepened security ties with the U.S. and Japan.