A state-run Chinese daily has accused India of being stubborn in its geo-political thinking, and this is clearly reflected in New Delhi's decision to have a dedicated air corridor with Afghanistan by bypassing Pakistan.
In its report, the Global Times asked that the already launched and the proposed routes between India, Afghanistan and Iran "begs a question: Will India bypass Pakistan to develop trade with Afghanistan and other Central Asian countries?"
"All such connectivity efforts have not only signalled India's desire to more actively participate in regional economic development, but have also highlighted the country's stubborn geopolitical thinking," the article adds, indirectly referring to India's opposition to China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) project.
The Global Times further goes on to accuse New Delhi of attempting to counter balance Beijing's much touted CPEC by looking for alternative air freight corridors in the neighbourhood.
The daily's apparently jaundiced opinion comes days after India and Afghanistan inaugurated a dedicated air freight corridor to give boost to bilateral trade and give the landlocked central Asian country greater access to Indian markets.
India has been closely working with Kabul and Tehran to create alternate and reliable access routes. The Chabahar Port in Iran is another example of this initiative.
A trilateral transport and transit agreement based on sea access through Chabahar was signed between the three countries in May 2016.
China's over USD 50 billion investment in Pakistan is part of its ambition to reach to Eurasia markets through the Arabian Sea through the One Belt and One Road Initiative (OBOR).
The CPEC is aimed at establishing road and railway links between Gwadar in Balochistan and Xinjiang province in China.
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