BEIJING/NEW DELHI: The US has made a sudden U-turn and decided to participate in the One Belt, One Road (OBOR) initiative being organised by China with much fanfare in Beijing this Sunday and Monday.The US move puts tremendous pressure on India, which remains undecided on whether to send representatives to the event. India maintains that China has not created an environment of trust to carry out the belt and road projects.A very good example is the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor through which China is looking to link Xinjiang with Gwadar port, which it has built in Balochistan.Beijing has shown scant regard for the fact that it impinges on India’s sovereignty, passing as it does through the Gilgit-Baltistan region which India claims as its own.There may not be any immediate material loss to India if it goes unrepresented because OBOR is not a membership-based organisation In fact, India might be praised in some quarters for taking a bold principled stand. Sources in Delhi said India at best may be represented by junior embassy officials and ruled out sending any high-level dignitary.A few Indian academics may also be present at the meet which would attract representation from over 50 countries and international organisations like the World Bank.Though taking part in the initiative is a political decision, the US has made it appear like a trade-off that included China’s commitment to buy American beef as part of the ‘100-day plan’ agreement.On its part, Washington agreed to allow Chinese banks to expand operations in the US.“India is in a dilemma,” Jagannath Panda, a research fellow at the Institute for Defense Studies and Analysis in New Delhi, told TOI. “India has to take cognizance of the US decision. It is an early signal that the Trump administration is reframing the US-China relationship,” he said.The US is sending an inter-agency delegation led by Matthew Pottinger, a top adviser to the Trump administration and National Security Council senior director for East Asia.The decision emanated directly from the meeting between the presidents of the US and China in Florida last month. “We welcome all countries to attend. And we welcome the United States’ attendance as the world’s largest economy,” said Chinese vice-finance minister Zhu Guangyao.China’s dominant position in the programme may be somewhat diluted with the US now joining developed countries like Britain and Germany in sending representatives.China may come under pressure to become more transparent about its plans, and whether it would follow internationally-accepted standards on environment and labour in the projects, they said.Japan and South Korea, which have military differences with China, are sending representatives. Most other countries engaged in territorial disputes with China over the South China Sea issue, including Vietnam and Indonesia, are also sending official delegations. Pakistan, Nepal and Sri Lanka are also taking part.Twenty-nine countries will be represented by their heads of state.China says it would be a win-win for all countries, but there are serious doubts on whether Beijing would eagerly share the benefits in the face of pressure from Chinese companies.The programme includes six economic corridors but no reliable map has been made available and it is evolving with time.“What actually gets built will depend on what deals Chinese companies or the government make with other countries,” abroad or on the deals that the Chinese government makes with other governments abroad, and no one knows exactly what those are going to be,” said Tom Miller, author of a recent book, China’s Asian Dream.