A familiar script along the border

There seems to be a desire for opacity when it comes to confronting China, which has been coded into the Indian establishment. But India would benefit from transparency

Democracies have the asset of transparency that tyrannies lack. People power tends to consolidate behind the state when the people are participants in, and informed about, decision-making. This is not possible, or is less possible, in a tyranny because information is a tool and often a weapon.

Transparency is especially useful when difficult decisions are to be taken. A population is more willing to suffer when it knows what it is suffering for, and that it is not easy for the state to alleviate the suffering.

A clash between India and China occurred again this month. Fortunately, it was not fatal, though