By Suvam Pal

This was arguably probably the most broadly and closely-watched elections globally within the historical past of Taiwan for the reason that island nation transitioned from being underneath the erstwhile longest martial legislation anyplace on the earth (earlier than Syria) to turning into a democracy in 1987. The stakes have been comparatively excessive, with China reportedly leaving no stone unturned to “influence” the result because the Communist regime dubbed the election to be a selection between ‘peace and war.’ In the tip, the incumbent Tsai Ing-wen authorities of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) bucked the anti-incumbency to make sure a historic third successive Presidential time period for the get together and was in a position to ship its present Vice President Lai Ching-te to the majestic century-old crimson brick edifice on the Ketagalan Boulevard within the coronary heart of Taipei. As anticipated, the DPP’s established order on the Taiwan Presidential workplace has not gone down effectively for the fire-breathing dragon. The “inevitable annexation” menace intensified after its Kuomintang (KMT) pitching script received flipped.

But for India, the democratic continuation of the Tsai legacy for 4 extra years offers extra diplomatic elbow room for stronger bilateral relations and extra intensive commerce cooperation. A KMT victory could not have upset the bilateral applecart, however it might have undoubtedly pressured South Block to recalibrate its engagement with a Taiwanese get together that, through the marketing campaign, promised to supply an olive department to China, a rustic with which India’s cross-border relations have change into considerably fraught.

During a personal interplay with me, a prime Taiwanese diplomat rued that the India-Taiwan relationship didn’t fairly attain the peak it had deserved underneath Tsai’s two successive phrases comprising eight years. Another former diplomat-turned-senior minister within the Tsai authorities as soon as emphasised the “emotional connection” the primary and solely lady President of Taiwan had with India even earlier than she broke the glass ceiling. In reality, after shedding her first Presidential election to incumbent President Ma Ying-jeou in 2012, Tsai selected India as her retreat to regain power and power. One of the highlights of her India sojourn was an in a single day prepare journey from Delhi to Mumbai. The single President’s solo pictures on the Taj Mahal, which she strategically posted on Twitter a number of months after the June 2020 Galwan conflict and the primary wave of the pandemic, additionally made her probably the most influential international personalities since Princess Diana to pose in entrance of the “Monument of love” in Agra alone. But her love for India has “always been special,” the senior diplomat knowledgeable me, including that “no top politician” in Taiwan in all probability understands India greater than President Tsai together with her first-hand travel expertise.

But the highest two candidates of this 12 months’s Presidential election, Lai, the eventual winner, and Hou Yu-ih, the KMT candidate and runner-up, had by no means visited India. The third candidate, Ko Wen-je of the Taiwan People’s Party, nonetheless, visited India in 2017 with a Taiwanese delegation throughout his tenure because the Mayor of Taipei. But as soon as Lai formally assumes workplace in May, the president-elect is anticipated to hold ahead the legacy of the New South Bound Policy. India has been an integral a part of this showpiece overseas coverage endeavour by President Tsai. But the election of her shut confidante, Hsiao Bi-khim, as the following vp will seemingly be one other pull issue for Taiwan’s rising bonhomie with India because the ‘Cat Warrior’ has prior expertise visiting India. Before turning into the de facto U.S. Ambassador Hsiao was one of many audio system on the Raisina Dialogue in Delhi in 2018.

However, it’s not going to be a stroll within the park for the Lai-Hsiao group, because the bilateral relationship between India and Taiwan wants some additional push to attain its objective. Even although the Tsai authorities rapidly dubbed it “China’s cognitive warfare,” the sudden meltdown over an India-Taiwan migration and mobility settlement following some social media dissents and a bodily protest by 20-odd folks in entrance of the Taiwan Presidential Office doesn’t painting a constructive image of camaraderie. Meanwhile, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who not too long ago triggered a social media tsunami together with his Lakshadweep sojourn, hasn’t congratulated President-elect Lai on social media even after 24 hours following the DPP chief’s triumph. Of course, India traditionally maintains the “One China Policy” and doesn’t have any formal diplomatic ties with Taiwan but, however the bilateral relationship wants to barter a number of speed-breakers earlier than going for an extended and uninterrupted trip. If Taiwan barely lacks the animal spirit in commerce and financial partnership, then India appears to be diplomatically overcautious and additional calculative. Nonetheless, it’s going to be a big problem for the incoming Lai authorities to bolster its bilateral ties with India, even with outgoing President Tsai’s blessings.

The creator is a Taipei-based Indian broadcast journalist for TaiwanPlus.

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