The other motive of China was to disrupt the sustained developmental activity which had been -continuing in India since independence. We had given a prime position to our economic progress and consequently had given a secondary position to the question of defence. When the problem of security materialised before the nation, it had, perforce, to divert a large part of the resources towards defence expenditure. China was aware that this was bound to create economic difficulties for our country and it wanted to go on making the defence problem more and more serious, so that correspondingly our difficulties in the economic sphere would become insurmountable. To arrest the smooth progress that India was achieving through planned economic effort was therefore the second motive behind the 1962 invasion.
The third objective which China sought to achieve was to force India to compromise its policy of non-alignment. We had decided to keep aloof from the two power blocs and consequently we remained aloof from military pacts. This was a wise policy then as it is today also. China expected that under real military pressure, India would either surrender to it or align itself with capitalist countries like the UK and the USA and join military pacts. This would certainly have detracted from the stature of this country in international politics.
But China has been disappointed in all these respects. It has not given up its efforts. The only change that has taken place is that its tactics have undergone a change. Their efforts now are concentrated on keeping the tensions between India and Pakistan alive. If Pakistan tries to understand the politics that China wants to play in terms of these tensions, it would be good for Pakistan as also for India. These two countries cannot think in terms of clashing with each other. It would be a distinct loss for both of them. Pakistan must realise from the experience of others as to what is the end result of a friendship with China. Unfortunately, they refuse to learn from history. Countries like Indonesia and India have had very bitter experiences of their friendship with China. Pakistan must understand this. If the present flirtation of Pakistan with China continues, I have no doubt that the same situation will come about in Pakistan as had come about in Indonesia. But unfortunately, conditions prevailing in that country are such as to cloud these lessons. Pakistan obviously is not in a mood to learn. Naturally, therefore, we cannot take any chances in the matter of our defence.
