Debunking Concerns of the New Delhi over CPEC

This paper analyzes the New Delhi’s resistance to the CPEC initiative is motivated by three main factors. The first argument is that the economic corridor passes through Pakistan's Gilgit-Baltistan region, which was partly ruled by the state of Kashmir at the time of Partition. Second, India fears that if the CPEC corridor continues to work effectively across Gilgit-Baltistan, the Kashmir dispute will then be internationalized. New Delhi has traditionally resisted this notion, stressing that the Kashmir is a bilateral issue between India and Pakistan. The third factor India's opposition to CPEC is concern that China will use it to counterbalance India's economic growth. Based on this argument, India claims that foreign corridor passes through an Indian-claimed territory between Pakistan and China and therefore violates Delhi’s economic sovereignty as well. Hence the paper culminates with the remarks that “through CPEC, regional growth is possible if India looks at this project through the lens of development and not enmity”.