Gawadar Port Stalemate: Is it China's 'String of Pearl strategy' Failure?

[Moazam Khan]

Gwadar, an Indian Ocean port in the south-west corner of Pakistan is at the center of trade, economic and geopolitical competition which involves Pakistan, China, India, the Central Asian Republics, Afghanistan and Singapore.

The port at Gwadar has received heavy investment from China, especially following the perceived failure of Port of Singapore International Ltd (PSA) to properly develop the facilities as contracts had stipulated. Gwadar is also mentioned whenever China’s “string of pearls” strategy is discussed.

The “string of pearls” consists of a series of friendly ports and possibly naval facilities throughout the Indian Ocean which China’s Navy, the PLAN (confusingly called the People’s Liberation Army Navy), could rely on in the future to support any mission to protect key shipping routes between China and the Middle East or indeed Europe (via Suez). So far the “string” consists not only of Gwadar, but also the Chinese driven development of a new harbour at Hambantota in Sri Lanka along with Kyaukphyu and Sittwe in Burma. (Not shown on the map above are other ports in Lamu, Kenya, and Chittagong, Bangladesh, which are also considered to be “pearls”.)


From an Indian point of view, this looks suspiciously like China attempting to encircle India, and indeed the rocky relations between India and some of the host countries adds further suspicion to this. Comments such as former Pakistani president Musharraf’s alleged “in the event of war with India, Pakistan will not hesitate to invite the Chinese Navy to Gwadar” have not helped. Nor does the fact that 70% of India’s Energy needs are imported, and a great deal of the tankers pass within missile range of Gwadar itself.

On top of this martime only strategy, in two locations (Gwadar in Pakistan and Kyaukphyu in Burma,), there are early stage plans / suggestions of connecting the ports to China overland. From Gwadar a rail, road and pipeline connection to Kashgar (Kashi) in China’s Xinjiang province is intended to allow people, goods and perhaps even oil to reach China without having to pass India or the Straits of Malacca. Once in Xinjiang, oil can be plugged into China’s existing pipeline network which reaches into central Asia. So far only the road section is up and running, and improvements must still be made on the Pakistani side.

 

[Ganges Zephyr]

We wont let China encircle us and defeat us in anyway.....we are doing it ourself with our moron govt and policies. Apna hath jaggan-nath

 

[Moazam Khan]

Well i think China has already encircled you from Arabian sea dear :O While you are only navigating in Strait of Malacca

 

[muse]

From an Indian point of view

,

Why does this view of any standing? why should we give it credibility?

After all, if someone of the forum puts forward a position from an "islamist" point of view, we ask the same question, or from an American point of view - - I hope the thread originator will expand on this , after all a port city in Pakistan has salience primarily in the Pakistani context, or has the world turned upside down?

 

[Moazam Khan]

General this port has relatively much significance as it will also hinder in the Indian sponsored Chabahar Port in Iran from where India wants to bypass Pakistan so as to reach Afghanistan/Central-Asia and Europe. Remember North-South Corridor Project??

 

[muse]

Sir


This port will do a lot of things, yes, that's a possibility (a universe in itself), but the question was "why we should be looking at this from any prisim other than one primarily Pakistani in context and orientation?

Chahbahar is an Iranian port, not an Indian port --- before placing the onus of outflanking Pakistan on India, we may ask our Iranian brethren for some input.

 

[explorer9]

Its because of poor leadership quality of Pakistani establishment that is responsible for Gawadar port and location is strategically most important. Russia will also be very much interested to create a trade via this warm water port ultimately it is how you utilize the facility.

 

[Moazam Khan]

Gen it is because of the strategic imp of that port which burgeon it's cause to be discussed here. If that Port be a matter of Pakistan's internal affairs only, then it would be functional way back. But as most of the people know that this Port also comes into the 'new great game' which is to acquire the oil/gas resources of Central Asia.
however, Iran itself offered to build a road/railway track from Gawadar to Chabahar but dont you think it is just a diplomatic move?? Ostensibly, Iran is favoring Gawadar Project but admittedly it will hinder/ mitigate the significance of their own port.