New Delhi: Anti-China sentiment has been growing in the country with Indian and Chinese armies locked in a military stand-off at Ladakh border since early May. There has also been a call to boycott ‘Made in China’ products in India.
We asked our readers: With few alternatives, can Indians afford to boycott Chinese goods?
This is what some of them had to say:
‘Patriotic boycott of Chinese goods is a transient phenomenon’
Calls to boycott Chinese goods are neither unprecedented nor unanticipated, and spring up every time there is tension at the border. Unlike US, we’re not an economic powerhouse and neither we’ve the dollar in our arsenal to hurt China economically. We import 16 per cent from them and export only 4 per cent to them while China’s per capita is almost five times than us. They can produce cheap and we (especially retail consumers) can’t buy expensive. Patriotic boycott of their goods is a transient phenomenon presiding over a lack of policy and failure to deal with the global behemoth that has grown in our neighbourhood — Suryansh Pathak, Lucknow. Twitter handle: @thisissuryansh.
‘Now isn’t the time for self-reliant schemes because GDP is at its worst’
In the aftermath of the Indo-China war, #wewillcrushchina is trending in India. In my opinion, it is easier said than done. India’s dependence on China is sourcing for various goods.
Made in China products are in every household. We are also dependent on China for raw materials. Traders and manufacturers are largely dependent on imports and right now it is not the perfect time for self-reliant schemes because economy or GDP is at its worst.
Though Indian government is focusing on “Make in India” and create indigenous products to compete in global markets, it is not possible this soon with limitations. It will be very difficult to prove that in the long run. Some of the key sectors of Indian economy are totally dependent on China.
If India turns self-reliant, consumers will suffer as things will be costlier. China is the largest trading partner of India and the after effects will change the scenario drastically — Siddhi Mahatole, Aurangabad. Twitter: @Siddhimahatole.
‘People will go for cheaper & quality goods, fulfilled by Chinese brands’
It will be wrong to say that we can do away with Chinese products easily. They have crept into all walks of life; home to hospital, production to service, everywhere. With few choices of those standards, customers are forced to buy those goods according to their incomes. Like in smartphone segment, there are no Indian competitors for the likes of Xiaomi and Huawei. Even government depends on Chinese firms for many supplies. This needs advanced replacement options. People might protest against them but when it comes to buying, they look for cheaper and quality choices, fulfilled by Chinese brands — Anugrah Singh, Hardoi. Twitter: @Anugrah94655115.
‘Boycott of Chinese products would land heavier blow to India’
One of the most notable features of the Sino-Indian relationship is the bilateral trade and its overarching bias towards China, with a deficit of $53.5 billion in China’s favour.
The condemnation of Chinese products would land a heavy blow to China, however, it would land a substantially heavier blow to India as China is its largest trading partner.
It is not, however, impossible to boycott Chinese products as Indian markets are expanding rapidly and India has shown its ability to practice import substitution and export industrialisation in the early stages of its existence when its poverty level was considerably higher — Aditi, Kanpur. Twitter: @a_deity_03.
‘Boycott will do psychological damage to China, not economic’
Boycotting will only do psychological damage to China than economic, considering only 3 per cent of the total export of China comes to India. Without revolutionary government reforms to provide infrastructure such as cheaper transportation and lower land cost to ease setting up manufacturing industries, which is possible if implemented gradually in phases, we cannot even think of any alternative given the nation’s present economic crisis. Rather than boycotting, we need to provide competitiveness to all foreign goods which will not only improvise the qualitative market but also act as a catalyst in reviving the economy — Mayank Bansal, Allahabad. Twitter: @MayankB_MIT.
‘Boycotting possible in the long run with careful planning’
The boycotting of Chinese goods in the near future is not feasible but it is possible in the long run with careful planning as the Chinese have been doing for the past many decades. Getting rid of an opponent like the master strategist China can be achieved by playing their own game. The alternatives India have now is still short to satisfy the demand and needs of the 1.3 billion population, keeping in mind that 60 per cent of goods are still imported from China. Being overcome with emotions and acting rash and boycotting the products ASAP is not the solution here — Linda Sailo, Aizawl. Twitter: @linda_sailo777.
‘Misled economic patriotism is detrimental to India’s interests’
Boycott becomes an option when the other’s economy parallels yours and not when it is five times yours.
This misled economic patriotism is detrimental to India’s interests more than China’s, with the former constituting merely 3 per cent of the latter’s total exports.
Poor infrastructure, low liquidity and inefficient logistics shall frustrate import substitution in the short term. Couple that with inflation, when the economy is already cracking.
Instead, vertical integration, lowering financing costs and land and labour reforms would push MSMEs up the value chain in the long term, enabling import diversification to an extent where boycott would actually be an option — Asish Singh, Kolkata. Twitter: @asish19x.
‘Strategically targeting supply chains is way forward. Blanket ban not an option’
In an integrated world like ours, an outright boycott of Chinese goods will end up damaging our cause rather than furthering it. Goods manufactured or assembled over there, invade all aspects of our life. Those who are building anti-Chinese narrative using Chinese phones are damaging Indian strategic interests.
We run a considerable trade deficit with China. In my opinion, strategically blocking companies who have covert political backing of CCP, serves our purpose. Mindless ban on Chinese goods will add to our unemployment. Strategically targeting supply chains is the way forward. Blanket ban is never an option in a globalised world — Bhaumik Kamdar, Mumbai. Twitter: @kamdar_j.
‘Boycott things like Chinese mobile apps, not goods’
If it’s a yes or no question, my immediate response would be a no. We all know that we are all very dependent on Chinese goods and all of a sudden boycotting them will do more harm than good. When we boycott Chinese goods we would be forced to buy more expensive goods from Japan or America which will be a huge burden for the common people. And even boycotting is not an easy job because China can still bring its goods to India using other ASEAN countries as China controls most of the trading activities in the Asian subcontinent. But we can easily boycott things like Chinese mobile apps because finding a replacement for them is a much easier task than boycotting their goods — Sidharth J, Kannur (Kerala). Twitter: @SidharthJ2.
‘Possible if India ensures Make in India is more than a slogan’
Over a period of time India can!
In the short term, the Indian economy and consumers are way too dependent on cheaper imports as well as key ingredients.
The pragmatic approach will be to cut out Chinese participation in large projects in sectors like telecom and infrastructure, in the short term, and block Chinese FDI in firms of strategic importance.
In the long run, an opportunity exists if India ensures that ‘Make in India’ is more than a slogan and ensure high volume, low cost production to compete with Chinese imports in locally and also in global markets — Chandan Chatterjee, Pune.