NEW DELHI : As India has been battling with the double blow of a surge in Covid-19 infections and the severe damage to its economy, the military confrontation with China in Ladakh has posed a fresh national challenge.This rapid downturn in ties has evoked a cacophony from the Indian commentariat calling for strengthening of India’s affiliation with the US-led western alliance.
A former foreign secretary has called for “consolidating a countervailing coalition of like-minded countries", while another has specifically recommended closer ties with the US.A former ambassador to China has urged for stronger “partnerships with democracies of the world", while another senior diplomat has called for “diplomatically isolating China".