INDIA NEWS
Nov 16-30, 2020 - Vol 1, Issue 10
SPECIAL FEATURE
Taiwan’s immense popularity in India: Building the momentum By Sana Hashmi Taiwan marks 200 plus days without a local COVID-19 case. Taiwan’s impeccable COVID-19 response has garnered immense appreciation and generated greater awareness about Taiwan among Indians. This coupled with ever-rising tensions between India and China has led to calls for closer cooperation between India and Taiwan in India. While China has lost the perception war in India primarily due to the violent clashes at the Galwan valley and the ongoing and protracted standoff, Taiwan has gained respect and appreciation among Indians. Taiwan is now viewed as a friendly and responsible country among Indians. However, this wide reportage and discussion on Taiwan is not going down well with China. On October 7, 2020, Chinese Embassy in India issued a diktat to the Indian media asking them to refrain from calling Taiwan a country while reporting on it and even be in tune with the Indian government’s stand on the so-called ‘One-China policy’. This move backfired and much of Indian media reported widely on Taiwan on its National Day that fell on October 10, 2020. The
ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) spokesperson Tajinder Singh Bagga placed several posters outside the Chinese embassy in New Delhi wishing Taiwan on its national day. The photos of which went viral, leading to huge humiliation for the Chinese Embassy in New Delhi. An insecure China’s desperate acts landed it in counterproductive and rather embarrassing situation. China’s so-called wolf-warrior diplomacy has boomeranged and has failed to achieve any objective that Beijing had set. To reciprocate appreciation and support from several Indians, Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen put out a series of tweets. Her tweets on her 2012 India visit and fondness for Indian cuisine resonated well with the Indians. This series of events has shown President Tsai Ing-wen’s crafty abilities to tap on the social media platforms. This also displays that unlike the Chinese officials and diplomats who are resorting to bullish behaviour, Taiwan is sticking to the professional ethics in its foreign policy approaches. Taiwan has finally got the muchdeserved attention from Indians. Unprecedentedly, Taiwan is
being discussed in the Indian print and online media. This has contributed to awareness and knowledge about Taiwan among Indians. However, governmentto-government interactions are limited in scope and therefore, the potential in the relations still remains under-utilised.
a concerted response to tackle common threats and ensure peace and stability in the IndoPacific region. The firm attitude that President Tsai Ing-wen’s administration has demonstrated in dealing with China’s bullying marks a significant departure in Taiwan’s policy.
It is important that the leadership from both sides sense the popular sentiments and take steps to strengthen cooperation. The biggest likely gain for both India and Taiwan is on the economic front. A systematic and coordinated dialogue on trade and investment relations is the need of the hour, and eventually an India-Taiwan Free Trade Agreement may follow. This will not only help India reduce its dependence on China but also add a long-term and positive dimension to India-Taiwan relations. Closer economic relations will also give an impetus to President Tsai Ing-wen’s New Southbound Policy.
Security cooperation for information sharing in the field of cyber is essential. The two sides may also consider initiating a policy planning dialogue at mid-official level. This will help the two countries better understand the changing regional dynamics and accommodate each other’s’ interests. For Taiwan’s inclusion in the key international mechanisms, the onus should not lie on one country but the like-minded countries such as Australia, India, Japan and the United States should jointly promote Taiwan’s greater participation in the Indo-Pacific region.
As far as the security aspect is concerned, Taiwan has been at the receiving end of China’s aggression or the wolf warrior diplomacy. President Tsai ing-wen has been urging the like-minded countries to form
Would you dare to wear Oud? By Malvika Barry Oud is known for its distinctive, rich, and complex aroma, which is difficult to recreate even by synthetic molecules, says Malvika Barry When I arrived in the Middle East, I was bewildered and intrigued by the scents all around me, from the aroma of spicy pungent kebab to the opulent scents on fully clothed men and women. Initially, I couldn’t quite put my “nose” on what they smelt off; what was this oh-so-overpowering, almost animalic musky, rich, honey-like, alluring fragrance that most of them reeked off? It was Oud, also known as Oudh, Gaharu, or Agarwood, and is one of the rarest and most expensive woods in the world. Popularly known as Black gold, by the Middle Easterners, Oud is known for its distinctive, rich, and complex aroma, which is difficult to recreate even by synthetic molecules. When paired with some raw materials such as rose, sandalwood, patchouli, or saffron, they make an irresistible combination that is even more dynamic and wearable. Oud, just like the musical instrument Oud, is deeply rooted in the Islamic culture, and they have a sensual and soul-stirring symphony. Agarwood is traditionally used as incense by burning the wood chips in a madkhan (a small
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portable incense burner) in the form of bakhoor, which slowly diffuses and reveals its rich entrancing fragrance. The intoxicating and enigmatic smoky scent of these wood chips can also be used to enhance the smell of garments and clothes lightly. Oud oil is also used sparingly as a perfume, by many Oud lovers. Oud’s sense-arousing smell When I smelt Oud oil for the first time, it reminded me of a horse stable and the dry sweet honey-like hay fed to the horses. It is truly an odd smell, but it eventually grows on you and arouses your senses. Saudi and Gulf sell the best quality Oud at an exorbitant price, but what makes it so pricey? Oud is the resinous heartwood of Aquilaria trees, which are mostly grown in South East Asia. These trees undergo a process called tylosis, that involves the production of certain metabolites in the form of resins at the heartwood, when subjected to wounding or damage due to injury, insect invasion, infection from fungus or mould. The Aquilaria tree can battle the infection for several decades until it is finally cut down and sold as agarwood and eventually used for perfume production. The oldest infected trees have the most complex and rich aroma. Due to its gaining popularity in oriental perfumes, there is a
dwindling population of the “real oud wood”. Now alternate modern plantation techniques have been devised to grow Aquilaria trees by subjecting them to artificial injury and infection by the Ascomycota fungus to provoke the defence mechanism of tylosis. Although they have mastered the art of production, the wood still lacks the complexity and intensity of its older counterpart. West recognises Oud’s qualities After centuries of being prevalent in the Islamic culture, Oud has gained recognition in the Western world as a priced and precious raw material in perfumery. Abdalla Ajmal, General Manager and grandson of the founder of Ajmal perfumes from Assam, India, once said, “It’s not just a fragrance. It’s an entire culture. It’s something we can’t explain to outsiders.” It is truly an inexplicable scent, which is soon being seen and made popular by many perfume houses like Christian Dior, Tom Ford, Kilian, Maison Francis Kurkdjian, Montale, Gucci, Dolce &Gabbana, Roja Parfums, YSL, etc. Most of these perfume houses have refined the Oud scent and tamed it for the Western market. In the Middle East, men in their white kandura and the women in their black abaya or burkha wear perfumes infused with Oud to create an aura and leave a mark
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Equal focus should also be on strengthening people-to-people ties. People are at the core of India-Taiwan bilateral ties and to sustain the momentum, it is crucial for both countries to encourage more scholarship on the bilateral relations. Lack of
academic work on India-Taiwan relations make it one of the most understudied and understated set of relationships. More engagement and collaboration between academicians of both countries will lead to further awareness about each other. The problem in the relations is the lack of sustained and persuasive focus. While for India, it is important to de-hyphenate India’s Taiwan policy from IndiaChina relations, for Taiwan, it is crucial that a long-term strategy for engaging India is devised. India is a focal country in the New Southbound Policy, and having a blueprint for cooperation in the areas of mutual interests will not only strengthen the New Southbound policy but will also provide framework for future cooperation between India and Taiwan. *Sana Hashmi is Taiwan Fellow at Institute of International Relations, National Chengchi University, and a former consultant with the Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India.
of their presence in the room they enter or exit. It’s a means of expressing their style and personality. The three perfumes that have captivated me with its mysticism and have been intricately created with Oud as the star ingredient include; 1. Oud for Greatness, Eau de Parfum, by Initio Parfums Privés Now, this perfume is truly meant for greatness and great times! It’s the perfect composition for a barbeque evening in the desert. The saffron and oud are in harmony with the mellow lavender in the composition singing a nostalgic song in the evening purple-hued sky. The nutmeg, just like the barbeque heat, comforts the senses with its warmth in the cool air. Patchouli and musk complete this evening, leaving a feeling of satisfaction at the end. 2. Laialy, Eau de Parfum by Oud Elite Just like “Laialy” which means night in Arabic, this perfume has a dark, mysterious, and intense character to it. The dusty, earthy, and sweet-spicy saffron along with patchouli brings out the best and most intense side of oud. This particular composition has been made by the ancient knowledge of the rare and precious infected wood. Men and women can adorn it for festive occasions with intricately embroidered clothing.
3. The Voice of Snake, The Alchemist Garden collection, by Gucci This perfume made me fall in love with Oud. After the initial hit of Oud wood, there is an alluring note of saffron, which is too tempting to let go. There also seems to be a generous amount of patchouli as well, adding to the cool and damp note of humid leaves on the forest floor on which these slippery yet mystical creatures of the underworld tread on and hiss to warn their predators of their presence. It is undoubtedly worn by the most striking men who dare to be noticed. These are just some of the most impressive Oud perfumes I have encountered recently, and there are many more yet to be discovered. I hope you get to try these fragrances and invoke your adventurous side; until then stay safe and Happy Sniffing. Malvika Barry is a Fragrance Evaluator at Identiscents FZC, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates
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