When it comes to the characteristics of Indian cuisine, the first thing that comes to mind is the use of various spices, such as curry. But it is this important ingredient that underpins Indian cuisine that has recently been caught in a storm.
Recently, the United Kingdom announced that it would conduct a comprehensive review of all spices imported from India, due to the discovery that several major brands of spices in India contain the carcinogenic ingredient ethylene oxide (ETO), a common pesticide.
The explanation given by the Indian side is that the ETO residue standards vary from country to country, such as 0.02 mg/kg in the UK and Norway, while the standard in Canada and the US is much more relaxed at 7 mg/kg.
But other countries don't buy this explanation. Therefore, after the United Kingdom decided to completely restrict the import of spices from India, the United States, Canada, New Zealand and Australia also followed suit and decided to conduct a comprehensive investigation into Indian spices.
For India, this is definitely a slap in the face.
[Indian spices accused of causing cancer]
You know, India has always been known as the "Spice Country", which comes from its rich spice resources and long history of spice trade. Therefore, since ancient times, India has been one of the most important spice producers and exporters in the world, and has a profound impact on the global spice trade. Spices such as pepper, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, red pepper, cardamom and many others are grown in India.
Before the carcinogenic controversy, the Indian government had introduced a number of incentives to support the development of spices, which they saw as an important step in India's transformation into a $5 trillion economy. According to the data, India's spice exports reached US$3.9 billion last year, accounting for 37.2% of the global spice export market, which can be said to be a pillar industry of the Indian economy.
In addition, thanks to the large number of spice exports, India earns a lot of foreign exchange in foreign trade, which has helped India to establish stable economic ties with global markets, especially with regions such as the Middle East, Europe, North America, and Southeast Asia.
What's more, as a large agricultural country, spice farming is a source of livelihood for many farmers, especially in the southern and northeastern regions of India. Growing spices is an important source of income for local farmers, helping to improve their living standards.
[Canada arrests three Indians]
However, the Western countries that are currently investigating Indian spices have previously been important export markets for Indian spices, and the start of the investigation will inevitably lead to a decrease in Indian spice exports. Consumers and importers in other countries, led by countries such as the United States, are likely to avoid buying spices from India due to health risks.
In the short term, initiating a carcinogenic investigation into Indian spices could affect the price of Indian spices in the global market, leading to lower prices and thus affecting producers' incomes. But in the long run, such investigations could damage the brand image and credibility of Indian spices. Once consumer trust is damaged, it will be difficult to restore it.
Even after the investigation, Indian spice producers may need to invest more resources to ensure that their products meet international safety standards in order to regain the trust of the international market. This could include improved production processes, enhanced quality control, and more safety testing, all of which add a lot of costs.
[Diplomatic war breaks out between Canada and India]
But having said that, although the accusations against Indian spices by the United States and Western countries are from the perspective of protecting the health of their own citizens, if you look into it carefully, it is not difficult to perceive the implication of targeting India.
First of all, the countries that launched the investigation against India this time happen to be members of the "Five Eyes" alliance. Secondly, in a short period of time, these five countries have successively attacked Indian spices, and it cannot be ruled out that they have reached an agreement on this matter in private, wanting to teach India a lesson.
And the reason why India will be targeted is actually expected.
In September last year, there was an assassination in Canada in which Sikh leader Nijjar died. After some investigation, all the evidence pointed to India. However, due to India's special position in the Indo-Pacific strategy, the United States did not stand on Canada's side, but chose to shield India, making Canada suffer a dumb loss.
However, in the face of the forbearance of the United States, India obviously did not appreciate it, but continued to reach out to the United States to carry out assassinations, and as a result, it was arrested by the US intelligence agencies and alarmed the White House. As a result, the United States intends to settle the old and new hatreds together, firmly condemn the assassination, and indicate that it will investigate the matter.
[Biden previously invited Modi to visit the United States]
After seeing the change in the attitude of the United States, Canada also immediately began to act, arresting three Indian men suspected of participating in the assassination, preparing to retaliate against India. But there is more to India than ever that has offended the United States.
In the run-up to India's general election, Modi began to crack down on the opposition, arresting Kejriwal, the Indian politician most likely to compete with him, on suspicion of corruption. However, in the eyes of the United States, India's actions are undoubtedly contrary to democracy, so it has repeatedly criticized India.
Later, knowing that the United States had imposed sanctions on Iran, India reached a 10-year port development agreement with Iran to help Iran develop its economy, which once again angered the United States. As far as the United States is concerned, if India is allowed to trample itself under its feet many times, how should the face of the United States as a superpower be placed?
Therefore, it is reasonable to speculate that the current collective action of the "Five Eyes" alliance to investigate Indian spices is likely to be deliberate. In general, Modi underestimated both the determination of the United States to maintain the dignity of a great power and his place in the heart of the United States.