India and China at the Crossroads: The Imperatives of Reworking India’s Strategy

ABSTRACT

Any discussion on India- China relations is incomplete without mentioning that today the center of gravity of the whole world is slowly shifting to Asia. Besides, one-third of the world’s population lives in countries, bordering the Indian Ocean. The security environment is uncertain and great power transitions are taking place. India and China both are aspiring powers in Asia, however, with a certain degree of asymmetries in their power and strength. In the eighties, both the economies were of the same size but today the Chinese economy is way ahead and most global supply chains run through it. China is the world’s manufacturing superpower and with its technological expertise, its military expansionist ways, and its distinct footprint in India’s neighborhood, both land and maritime, all make it a serious force to contend with. Over time, the relations between the two neighbors have been a cause of grave concern. The interests of both India and China intersect. They have expanding geopolitical horizons and earnestly strive for ‘strategic space’ in the same region. The present essay reflects upon the relations between India and China that have been oscillating from cooperation to competition and from confrontation to conflict. Further, an attempt is made to focus on the challenges that are galore and the potentiality of reworking India’s China strategy.

Key Words: Asymmetric, Challenges, Conflict, Cooperation, Relations, Geopolitical

https://doi.org/10.37948/ensemble-2021-0301-a001