China, a country ruled by communists which don’t respect human rights and has isolated itself from the whole world, is considered to be responsible for spreading the deadliest virus called COVID 19. It is the most dangerous virus since 1920, taking toll of more than 0.5 million people till date. It is a non-friendly country which believes in hiding information and wants to rule the world through unethical practices. No person living in China can freely express his views or opinion. The doctor who spoke about Covid 19 was found dead, immediately after his video went viral. So, you can very well imagine, what type of country China is. Besides this, China has expansionist policies. It is trying to grab the land of all the countries, sharing borders with it. That is why, a few months ago it tried to intrude in Doklam and now in Galwan in Ladakh valley. All thanks to God. This time we have a powerful person like Mr. Narendra Modi, to deal with this demon country.
Due to Galwan misadventure of China, in which our 20 army men martyred, the public decided to boycott Chinese goods. Keeping in view the Public sentiments, the Government has also initiated the process to find the goods which can be banned or on which anti-dumping duties can be imposed.
With the Central Government banning 59 Chinese Apps, the process of boycotting Chinese goods has started. I am of the opinion that we shall not import anything from China, except the things which are direly needed and without which we cannot survive. Moreover, in case we have any other option available, as compared to the Chinese goods, though costly, should be preferred by all of us. For goods of general use, without which we can afford to live, should not be imported at all.
We know it is very difficult to stop each and everything but at the same time we need to differentiate between want and necessity. Only the things which are necessity should be imported and that too if no other alternative is available to us. We should buy or use the alternative, even if it is costly and should treat the extra cost as our contribution towards nation’s security. We cannot go to borders to fight for country and thus spending a few rupees extra to buy Indian goods in preference to Chinese goods will be our contribution.
Here the businessmen and importers also have a very crucial role to play. They are the person who brought these Chinese goods in India and made a market for them. Initially, they were priced at very low rates and when the public started buying them, they raised the rates. Presently, we are buying everything almost at the same prices at which Indian goods were available with the only difference that during this time the Indian manufacturer has been wiped out of the market in this dummy price war. China played a havoc with us. They captured our whole market leaving millions of people unemployed. Our rural products and markets have been wiped out, completely. Due to rise in import of cheap goods from China, many industries in India were forced to shut down, many kutir udyog, gram udyog, micro and small industries were also shut down resulting in massive unemployment.
Actually, this has not happened in a year or two. It is a result of our wrong policies initiated long ago, in the name of liberalisation of economy without proper planning. We have followed the economic policies of so-called well-educated economist, who had knowledge of world economy but nil understanding and knowledge about Indian economy. They failed to plan a thorough policy keeping in view the Indian perspective, wherein the rural and gram and kutir udyog needed to be saved.
Indian economy, which at some point of time before the Mughal invaders came in, had a massive share in world trade of more than 30{551c903f756d5bf12b7d58e2eb1e8b74af35058efa7a05d3e7b41e9147979503} which started reducing during the invader’s and Britisher’s rule. Even after getting independence, our leaders at that time were so impressed with European culture that they never thought of promoting Indian culture or goods, rather concentrated on running India in western style. This policy of ignoring Indian goods and preferring the European goods proved very costly to us because we started importing more goods than our exports. This trade deficit in long run forced us to open our economy for outsiders, who came in and ruined our rural, gram and kutir udyog. Had proper attention been paid, at that time, to our gram and kutir udyog which included hand crafts, plantation of herbs and ayurvedic medicines, we would have become a super power by now. Our economy was agriculture based and we used to export foodgrains, pulses, spices, herbs and medicinal plants to the Middle East, European and other countries. Our government badly failed to promote our specialities and to modernise them. No research was done on ayurvedic and herbal medicines otherwise it would have provided the best substitute to allopathy system of medicine, which has maximum side effects. Instead of promoting our products abroad, the government started copying the west and promoted manufacturing of items which were used there.
So, the step by step fall of Indian economy started with Mughal invaders, Britishers, then wrong policies of our First PM Mr. Nehru (who was fond of western culture) who never liked Indian Culture but became PM even at the cost of dividing India into two parts. It was only Mrs. Indira Gandhi who had some understanding of Indian culture and that’s why the green revolution was brought in. Later on, the wrong policies in the name of liberalisation made us suffer a lot. For unknown reasons, import of those goods was also allowed which were produced in India. Anti-dumping duties were either removed or reduced to the extent that Indian goods proved costly as compared to imported and the result of which is before us.
At one point of time in 1989, the foreign exchange reserve had fallen to the lowest level and there was a necessity of bringing in the foreign exchange. That was the time when some wrong decisions were taken, for the reasons better known to them only. Liberalisation of economy was a necessity but allowing unregulated imports, by reducing import duties and that too on goods which were manufactured in India, proved fatal for Indian Industry. Instead of supporting the industry in modernisation and upgradation, the government allowed import by reducing the duty to minimum.
The government’s decision to open the economy without considering the future of Indian Industry and particularly the labour-intensive industries, just on the basis of flimsy assumptions, without proper and thorough planning to save and promote Indian products in world market, its long term impacts on the country’s financial position, went wrong to such extent that reversing their bad impact will take years to come.
Now, in present position, we are heavily dependent on Chinese raw material, machinery and finished goods that it is next to impossible to stop importing everything from China. Those who were and are praising the former economist being the most intelligent and brilliant person, should come forward and tell us the way out. Even the most surprising fact is that the China had grabbed a piece of land even during the tenure of that so-called intelligent economist being PM of our country and he could not understand, even in that situation the level of threat India could face, in future.
To make India a super power, fight the tough competition and to price our products genuinely, we need to take few steps to reduce the cost, such as:
- Improve the work culture to increase the productivity through dedication.
- Minimise the number of holidays, which at present is very high.
- Stop distributing freebies due to which either the government imposes more tax or it has lesser amount in hand to support the industry.
- Reduce the transportation costs by developing industrial clusters or corridors.
- Industrial associations must utilise the government funded schemes for developing common R & D facilities.
- Industrial houses must support the young talent in carrying out R & D.
- To open Skill development centres on large-scale, as per industry needs.
- Technological upgradation in every industry to increase output.
- More attention on planting herbs and medicinal plants.
- Maximise investment in Ayurvedic Research to minimise dependence on Allopathy.
- Develop the tourist spots, throughout India, through PPP mode.
- Providing international marketing platform for Handicraft items, items manufactured in our small villages.
- Last but not the least, we understand that a country has to enter into various treaties and agreements being a member of various international organisations and therefore, certain things can’t be restricted by the government but we, as a citizen, can always make a choice while buying goods. And here lies the biggest responsibility on our shoulders as a responsible and diligent citizen.
Above are the few points which may be helpful in making India a self-reliant country which would suo motu bring employment opportunities, removal of poverty, increase in literacy, etc., etc. and then we will not be far away from becoming a super power.
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