BRI(C)S

I do not know for how long China will continue its membership of BRICS--a group comprising Brazil, Russia. India, China and South Africa.India signed a lot of bilateral agreements with Russia during the the BRICS meeting in Goa. The relationship with the other three countries is quite good. India is not able to improve its relationship with China inspite of its best efforts.It is China which blocked India's efforts to join NSG.(Nuclear Suppliers Group). China has also blocked a resolution in UN for action against JeM terrorist Mazood Azhar. While the the meeting in Goa had condemned terror,no country was specifically mentioned,thanks to China. Prime Minister Modi,however, had categorically stated that Pakistan is the mother-ship of all terror activities in South Asia.

The Chinese President Xi Jinping left India yesterday. On the same day, a Chinese spokesman had stated in China that no country is individually responsible for terrorism. He also mentioned that Pakistan had itself suffered from terrorism.China's double speak proves clearly that India can never hope to win favours from China.China's embrace of India's troublesome neighbor is indeed a cause for great concern,

In the past,Mao Zedong described China's relationship with North Kores as "Chun chi xiang yi"--as close as lips and teeth.For decades North Korea was the only ally of China. In Beijing to-day, there is a new epithet that is currently flavour of the moment for China. "Ba tie" or "iron brother Pakistan".It is out of their selfish interests, China is solidly behind its "iron brother". The China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) shortens access to Persian Gulf oil for China--source of 80 per cent supply by bypassing Malacca straits. Distance via Malaca Straits 12,000 km--Distance via CPEC 3000km. When US began to move out of Afghanistan in 2009,China started scaling up its engagement in Pakistan.