India in China’s Worldview

By : Gunjan Singh

Page No: 21-38

Abstract
The year 2025 marks the 75th anniversary of India-China diplomatic relations. New Delhi was one of the first countries to recognise the People’s Republic of China (PRC) and establish relations, in 1950. Both sides also share a 3000-year-long historical and civilisational connection. This historical connection is generally perceived as cooperative and non-confrontational. Recently, in a podcast, the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi asserted that, ‘there was no “real history of conflicts” between India and China and for centuries, India and China have learnt from each other and understood one another.’
However, the same cannot be said about the two modern nation states. Since the beginning these bilateral relations have been riddled with complications, mis-interpretations, and assumptions about each other. Beijing has generally formed and enacted its policies and actions towards New Delhi based on its perception of how it is placed in the global order. The role of the USA and Russia have been crucial in determining the course of India-China relations.
The other major factor has been China’s domestic politics and vulnerabilities. Most of the India-China border clashes can be rooted in its domestic political concerns. One of the primary factors driving the 1962 War was the Indian position towards Tibet. And, it would not be farfetched to say that the factors for the Galwan Clashes can be found in the COVID-19 pandemic.
These issues raise the question whether the two major geographical neighbours, economic powerhouses, and nuclear powers, have ever interacted with each other in a truly bilateral form. Does India exist as a stand-alone factor in China’s foreign policy and worldview? The border has been a challenge, but does it not also have the potential to push the relationship to a truly bilateral nature. Every time there has been an assertion over the border from the Chinese side, the cause can be perceived as external.
   With this backdrop, the essay below aims to discuss Chinese policy, bilateral as well as global, towards India, especially under Xi Jinping.

Author:
Gunjan Singh is an Associate Professor at Jindal Global Law School, O P Jindal Global University, Sonepat, Haryana, India.
 

DOI: https://doi.org/10.32381/IFAJ.2025.20.1.2