Recently, two major news stories have emerged from Asia’s leading economies—India and China. While India faced communal unrest in Nagpur, China made a bold move by declaring its AI model DeepSeek as a national treasure. These events reflect the contrasting ways both nations handle law, order, and technological progress.
Nagpur Violence: A Law & Order Breakdown
In Nagpur, Maharashtra, a clash broke out between two communities over misinformation related to Aurangzeb’s tomb. The situation escalated, leading to a curfew being imposed.
Why is this a serious issue?
- A Historical Figure Triggering Violence – Aurangzeb died in 1707, yet his tomb caused modern-day unrest.
- Maharashtra’s Significance – As India’s highest GDP-contributing state, any disturbance in Maharashtra damages India’s global image.
- Weak Law Enforcement – Experts argue that India needs more police personnel and better law enforcement to prevent such incidents.
Maharashtra is on its way to becoming India’s first trillion-dollar economy, making such law and order failures a global concern.
China’s Strategic Move: Declaring DeepSeek a National Treasure
While India deals with internal conflicts, China is taking strategic steps in the field of artificial intelligence. The Chinese government has now classified DeepSeek, an AI rival to ChatGPT, as a national treasure.
Why is this significant?
- State-backed AI Expansion – China will now invest heavily in DeepSeek’s growth.
- Talent Retention by Force – Key engineers of DeepSeek have had their passports confiscated to prevent them from leaving China.
- Mandatory Use of DeepSeek – Chinese government bodies are now required to use DeepSeek instead of ChatGPT in courts, disaster management, and other sectors.
China’s approach ensures that its AI talent stays within the country, preventing foreign nations from benefiting from their expertise.
India vs China: A Strategic Comparison
India plans to develop its own LLM (Large Language Model) within 8–10 months, but the key question is: Will India be able to retain its AI talent like China?
Final Thought: Lessons for India
- India must strengthen its law enforcement to prevent incidents like the Nagpur violence.
- The government should invest more in AI development and retain talent.
- India must balance innovation with democratic values to compete with China.
With China already scaling DeepSeek, the big question remains: Can India catch up, or will it lag behind?