Thucydides Trap: India, China competing for Africa

If the world is a stage and the task is to choose the components of this trap, of course the US and China will be the participants of this.

India and China are fixed in a hegemonic trap. Before going to the literal meaning of it, the writer urges to consider this trap, a positive one contributing to the cause of both these countries and other nations as well.

'Thucydides Trap' we call it with both India and China horn-locked into it. Back in 2017 when Trump landed in China, this concept of Thucydides Trap re-emerged.

If the world is a stage and the task being to choose the components of this trap, of course the US and China will be the participants of this.

But when India and China rush like this, as they have done earlier in the past from the tip of Sri Lanka in Hambantota to the eastern African nation of Rwanda, from all the directions to counter each other, no other country can be cited as better examples for it.

What actually is Thucydides Trap?

The theory proposed by Graham Allison states that it is a situation in which the only super-power of the world is threatened by an emerging power. The sole power fears its replacement in the power shaping itself brisker.

The concept dates back to the age when Athens and Sparta used to dominate the world. Sparta, the established power feared its contention by the rise of Athens. Both the power centres wary of each other remained fixed in a trap known as 'Thucydides'.

India and China for long have been neck to neck in various respects. Indian agreements are generally aimed to negate Chinese collaborations. China, on the other hand, blocks Indian membership for the fact that India appears to it as a prospective rival.

Leaders of both these countries are on the visit to Africa mainly to attend the BRICS summit. Though both of them managed to spare time for East African Nation Rwanda.

Xi and Modi in Rwanda

Before PM Modi, Chinese President Xi-Jinping already had inspected the guard of honour from the Rwandans.

Xi Jinping called on both the nations to establish the link between their respective development plans, he stressed on the need for both the countries to focus upon the complementary advantages and carry forward the developmental work with pragmatism.

China no doubt is trying to fill the lacunae which has been created by a worsened Rwandan-US relations.

It granted a loan of USD 126 million which is to be used for the construction roads. Meanwhile, 70 percent of Rwandan roads do have Chinese companies involved in it.

Is India beating China in its 'Scramble for Africa' bid?

With Modi becoming the first Indian PM getting to address the Rwandan Parliament, India pitches its new identity as a force to reckon with.

Modi in an address to the Indian diaspora thanked President Kagame for his conduct towards the Indians living there.

India donated 200 cows to fulfil President Paul Kagame's dream of poverty alleviation and tackling childhood malnutrition.

India also extended USD 200 million credit lines to Rwanda which the latter can use in the fields of agriculture, industrial development etc.

China seems to be receiving a tough competition from India and not uprightly beating it in the African continent.

Well, the Thucydides Trap has fetched some good results for Rwanda. More than USD 300 million worth deals prove the Trap to have been unfolded brilliantly for the African nation.