A Great Scholar once said, our world will fight the next world war (WWIII) due to the unprecedented rising demand of water. Some experts thought of cold war between USSR & USA culminating into full scale global war for the supremacy of world power. There was a third possibility though less talked about, nuke attacks by some disgruntled individual country such as North Korea. But most of these possibilities getting ruled out except for the first one, that also is being taken care of at a huge scale with global scale efforts to reduce human population and increase awareness about the water preservation.
World's dynamics have changed. India and China are the two most emerging world power. Being located on the same landmass and that too next to each other are into an endless race to be greater than the other in various respects like higher GDP, space technologies, militarisation, domestic infrastructure, market share of global trade, diplomacy & international relations with other countries. It's very much true that China has been leading ahead and India lagged behind. But, with the change in dispensation at New Delhi and man like Narendra Modi at the helm of affairs, situation looks more promising for India as in laymen's terms India has at least two edges over China, first, India is an English speaking country. Second, its demographic dividend which for China is reversed as population pyramid is upside down and english is still a nightmare for common Chinese population.
Let us understand what happened with India & China. Basic economics tells us that any economy transition takes place in linear direction over three phases. At first, any economy is Agriculture dominated and then move on to Manufacturing sector and eventually progresses into Service sector. China before 1980's brought many reforms to its agriculture and communism encouraged collective farming did the miracle for China. From 1978 onward, under the charismatic leadership of Deng Xiaoping, China embarked over a journey which took China to a persistent double digits GDP growth rate. Deng guided China to develop its manufacturing sector. Having succeeded in setting up many industries, China however couldn't do much about its service sector as language barrier always horrified it. This economic transition was very interesting in case of India. India post-1980's leapfrogged in to service sector skipping manufacturing sector which brought both advantages & disadvantages for the country. Service sector grew at a great pace due to India's english speaking population. BPO sector flourished and Infosys led India directly entered into the third phase of transition. This success led India ignore its manufacturing sector which was to exhibit its repercussions 20 years later. Today, India is trying to boost its manufacturing and China its service sector. It is manufacturing which creates many job opportunities, especially for unskilled, unlike service sector which employ handful of skilled professional workforce. This is where India lags behind China.
World Bank suggests that India & China are the the most attractive investment hubs in the world. Many developed countries like USA, UK, Japan, Euro Zone Countries and Scandinavian nations are facing multi-cornered problems like continuing recession, ageing population, shortage of labour, decline of domestic consumption leading to dependence on export led economies and foreseeable crash of US dollar. Moreover, decline of US hegemony over OPEC countries and varied arrangements done by both China & India for import of oil & other energy resources from several exporting countries, has helped both the oil guzzling nations gain ensured supply of energy even during complex global situations as seen recently, when Iran was sanctioned by US & European countries over Nuclear bomb testing issue and India made alternative arrangement to pay Iran against the import bill.
Possibility of world war III though diluted by nuclear deterrence but continues to be a potential apocalyptic threat. With emerging 'new world order' emerges the threat of two blocs facing each other. However, recently events unfolded in different direction. Rise of non-state actors especially ISIS gives a different dimension. ISIS has been one of the most organized attempt ever by Islamists to allegedly spread Jihad. Threat being felt by some strategic experts is about preparations for nuclear warfare by ISIS. If this threat meets reality will be more dangerous than the war between regular nation-states. As non-state actors do not have a centralised political structure which can regulate the war at their behest. This again takes the chances of world war III happening in Asia.
