Large Chinese telecoms firm Huawei plans to sell 5G mobile technology and infrastructure to India
New Delhi:
Former R&AW chief Vikram Sood said there were several powerful reasons – strategic, technological, geopolitical and legal – to suggest that it would be very risky to allow big Chinese telecommunications company Huawei, with its structured state support, to launch operations in the critical area of India. Infrastructure.
Its assessment comes at a time when the government has yet to make a final decision on the allocation of radio waves as telecom operators request spectrum to begin 5G trials.
In his recently published book “The Ultimate Goal: A Former R&AW Chief Deconstructs How Nations Construct Narratives,” Mr. Sood writes that Huawei may “want to impersonate an independent entity, but anyone in the business would know that it’s just not the Chinese government funded Huawei and had few moral qualms about aiding the theft of intellectual property in the United States. “
He also explains how after Covid, the narrative that China is a responsible state becomes terribly skewed and that this shift in perception is likely to harm the interests of Chinese companies – such as its attempts to sell Huawei’s 5G mobile technology.
Assuming that “the theft of secrets is part of legitimate intelligence activity, it is China’s attitude towards India and its tirelessly hostile geopolitical maneuvers to harm the nation’s interests that would make the latter suspicious of India. regard to Huawei, “said the career intelligence officer, who retired in March 2003 after 31 years of service.
Unless China changes its stance on India and shows evidence, it would be prudent for the country to steer clear of Huawei or similar Chinese offerings, he advises.
In the book, published by HarperCollins India, he explains the “narrative” and how a country’s ability to build, sustain and control narratives, at home and abroad, strengthens its strength and position.
Mr Sood writes that when the pandemic became known, the Chinese leadership went through “the usual cycle of ruthless suppression of the facts at home, followed by denials and obscurations abroad.”
“For a while, China played the victim card and also tried to be the savior. In mid-2020, her attempt to change the negative narrative about herself through a garish disinformation campaign rebounded. In the end, it seemed like a fragile attempt to recreate its image as a responsible power, ”he says.
The former head of R&AW, who is currently an adviser to the New Delhi-based independent policy think tank Observer Research Foundation, also said the rifts between the United States and China only widened ‘due to the coronavirus crisis.
“Historically, China and the United States have tried to work together to manage various global crises. But not this time. Donald Trump’s “America First” approach has upset even close allies by diverting medical supplies, outbidding original buyers, or forcing American companies to shut down. exporting hospital grade N95 masks, ”he said.
Washington ceded space to Beijing, making many countries, even some in the West, dependent on Chinese supplies in the absence of a real alternative. This allowed China to expand its influence by selling its narrative in exchange. to help people in distress., “he writes.
Sood said the world “will see a continuation of the scramble between China and the US global governance – which has suffered a setback with the collapse of institutions like the UN Security Council, including the mandate no longer runs very far, and the World Health Organization – whose credibility suffered after COVID-19 – will be the biggest loser. “
(Except for the title, this story was not edited by GalacticGaming staff and is posted from a syndicated feed.)
