BEIJING: China's offer to link its Silk Road initiative to India's Mausam projects could create "tangible benefits" for both sides and help allay New Delhi's suspicion over Beijing's mega initiative, an article in the state media here said.Ever since the "One Belt and One Road" initiative to revive the ancient Silk Road and Maritime Silk Roads (MSR) was mapped out by Chinese President Xi Jinping , India has been showing vacillation and hesitations over whether to join the project, an article in the state-run daily Global Times said."There is no easy way of persuading a rising power in China's neighbourhood to recognise that its mega project is not seeking for influence or striving for hegemony," it said, adding, "the linking of MSR with India's Spice Route and Mausam projects, might provide a blueprint for cooperation that could create tangible benefits for both sides."The Mausam project, aimed at re-establishing India's ancient maritime routes with its ancient trade partners in and along the Indian Ocean , was launched in June 2014.Similarly, the "Spice Route of India" refers to the ancient network of sea routes that linked Asia, Europe and Africa."These projects bring to light that India will focus on its maritime strategy in the future, which will go hand in hand with its large scale of infrastructure construction."India wants to achieve a dominant strategic role in the Indian Ocean and protect its interests in the area. Both the Mausam project and the Spice Route are part of the maritime strategy."The recent outreach of Indian prime minister Narendra Modi to the Indian Ocean states of Seychelles, Mauritius and Sri Lanka is widely regarded as a move to boost India's maritime influence," it said.Besides, New Delhi is also planning to develop some new projects in the Arabian sea, including Project Seabird, an ambitious naval infrastructure programme near Karwar in Karnataka."Under such circumstances, there is a prevailing belief that such Indian projects are adopted to counter China's influence in the region."Though, India is ambivalent about China's initiatives, its strategy is far from confronting China. India clearly understands that if it turns against Beijing's invitation to jointly build the 'One Belt and One Road' programme, it will be more difficult to restore the connection with China in the future," it said."The best option here is to put aside disputes, and to resolve divergences through cooperation, instead of raising eyebrows at each other and endlessly debating the challenges."India and China should not only skillfully overcome historical obstacles, but also establish cooperation in every aspect, including linking each other's separate strategies together. If the suggestion is put into practice, the ideal goal of reducing our suspicions of each other, and developing together, is within the realm of possibility," it said.