India worried over China's renewed bid to lay its debt trap in South Asia in the wake of COVID-19 pandemic

New Delhi is worried over China’s renewed bid to spread its tentacles in the neighbourhood of India, on the pretext of providing assistance to South Asian nations in the wake of the pandemic and the consequent stress on the economies in the region caused by the curbs and the lockdowns enforced to contain it.

China has already donated COVID-19 test kits, coveralls, masks and other protective gears to Nepal, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Afghanistan and Maldives, in addition to its “iron-brother” Pakistan.

India donated medical supplies to almost all its neighbours, sent medical teams to some and even arranged webinars for healthcare professionals of the South Asian nations for training in management of the pandemic.

hina already provided a preliminary $ 500 million concessional loan to Sri Lanka to help it cushion the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. A number of diplomatic sources in New Delhi indicated that Beijing has offered similar loans to Bangladesh, Nepal, and Maldives.

Sri Lanka had to lease out the Hambantota Port to China for 99 years after its construction by a company based in the communist country resulted in a huge debt burden on the tiny Indian Ocean nation.

The Chinese Government has often been accused of putting other nations in debt traps on the pretext of supporting development projects as part of its ambitious cross-continental Belt and Road Initiative, which New Delhi has been strongly opposing.

According to government sources, India is trying to extend as much aid as possible to its neighbors in South Asia. But doing what China is doing will be a problem for India. China has loaned Sri Lanka $ 1 million.

China, like Sri Lanka, is ready to lend to Nepal, Bangladesh and the Maldives. Sri Lanka has previously leased a Chinese company to the Hambantota port in the Indian Ocean for three years.

China owes 3 billion to the Maldives. Development projects are underway in the country by a number of Chinese companies. China often lends to other countries in the name of development, but thereafter plans to further the Belt and Road project.

This project is the favorite of Chinese President Xi Jinping. This has been opposed by India from the beginning. Experts believe that if India's neighbor gets caught in China's debt trap, it could pose a major challenge to India.