For things to stay the same, everything needs to change. Deaths at the Ladakh border may require the Modi government to rethink its path to self-reliance.
The Indian government is under massive pressure to retaliate for the deaths of Indian soldiers in a border clash with China. While some bilateral measures may be unavoidable, India’s broader interest is not to reduce its engagement with China.
In an important address to the nation on May 12, Prime Minister Narendra Modi articulated his vision of a "self-reliant" India – engaged with the world but dedicated to using domestic resources to meet domestic needs. The speech was delivered as India was dealing with the enormous medical, economic and humanitarian impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.
