Located in the center of Asia, India, and China are two ancient civilizations that are enormous worldwide pillars of history, culture, and innovation. These adjacent giants, whose combined populations account for more than one-third of all humankind, have a significant impact on the social, political, and economic environments of both their individual territories and the global community. The two countries have separate identities, marked by their own cultures, languages, and societal institutions, despite their proximity and long-standing historical relationships.
Diplomatic relations were established between China and India on April 1st, 1950. India and the People's Republic of China established diplomatic ties as the first non-socialist nation, and the slogan "Hindi Chini Bhai Bhai" became well-known.
In 1954, the two nations inked the Panchsheel Agreement, which placed a strong emphasis on non-interference in one another's domestic affairs and peaceful coexistence.
Historical Ties
At least as far back as the second century B.C., written evidence of interactions between China and India exists. With the introduction of Buddhism under imperial patronage from India to China in the first century A.D., such interactions at the individual level through trade witnessed a boost. Following a ten-year pilgrimage to India in AD 402, the Chinese monk Fa Xian (Fa-Hsien, AD 399–414) translated numerous Buddhist writings from Sanskrit into Mandarin. Fo Guo Ji, or the Record of Buddhist Kingdoms, is a travel journal and a valuable historical document. The Chinese mother and Indian father gave birth to Kumarajiva, a scholar of the Vedas and Buddhist Sutras. Even now, his Chinese translations of the Sanskrit sutras are prized.
Importance of China
Geopolitical Neighbor: China is directly adjacent to India due to its extensive border (about 3488 km). The stability, security, and economic relations of the region are affected by this closeness.
China is regarded by India as a region's balance power. India has been compelled by China's ascent to bolster its own capacities and pursue strategic alliances.
Economic Relations: India's growth and stability are influenced by economic ties with China, which is the country's second-largest trading partner. Trade, investment, and technology exchange on a bilateral basis are essential.
Trade: India and China now have a substantial amount of bilateral trade, which is expected to exceed US$100 billion by 2022. The economies of the two nations have grown closer, with India becoming one of China's main destinations for "project exports”.
Both belong to the BRICS organization, which is now creating the New Development Bank, an official lending arm.
India was a founding member of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, which is supported by China.
China greeted India's complete admittance to the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, a political, economic, and security partnership spanning Eurasia.
The democratization of international organizations like the World Bank, IMF, and others has been supported by both nations.
India and China take comparable positions in WTO talks especially for the subsidies issue.
Issues in Bilateral Relationship
Boundary Dispute: The long-standing, ill-defined boundary dispute between the two countries is the main source of friction. Additionally, both nations are vying with one another to construct infrastructure along the Line of Actual Control (LAC), which marks this boundary.
India and the US Have Close Relationships: Strong strategic ties between the US and India are founded on their shared democratic ideals and common interests. China interprets this as a tendency toward Western ideology.
India's criticism of China's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) has been continuous, and this has infuriated China.
China-Pakistan nexus: China has consistently supported Pakistan on various fronts, a development viewed unfavorably by India, particularly concerning Pakistan's nuclear program.
China's Economic Dumping: China has faced criticism for its policies of flooding Indian markets with low-cost goods.
China is encircling India with its covert "String of Pearls" policy, which entails the construction of ports and naval installations near India's maritime borders. While Japan, South Korea, and Vietnam are the countries that surround China, India has been working to establish stronger ties with them.
Water sharing: China has started constructing dams in the Brahmaputra region of Tibet. Although there isn't a legal treaty on the sharing of Brahmaputra water, India has voiced objections.
China has been preventing India from joining the NSG and has repeatedly prevented India from asking the UN to impose sanctions on terrorists.
Way Forward
One major problem in bilateral relations between China and India is a lack of trust. To address this issue, a more proactive role for track II diplomacy is possible. One result of the track II conversation is the BCIM (Bangladesh–China–India–Myanmar) economic corridor.
Negative press about the partnership needs to be managed. Improved perceptions of the two nations may result from deeper exchanges between their media representatives.
The frequency of discussions at the highest level international gatherings, including the G-20, BRICS, Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia (CICA), Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), and East Asia Summit (EAS), needs to be increased.
Prior to reaching a definitive resolution on the boundary dispute, China and India should work together to keep the border regions peaceful and serene.
Stability in Asia and the world depends on China and India going beyond the bilateral aspect of their relations. For the benefit of both countries, confidence-building initiatives must be strengthened and the boundary dispute must be resolved quickly. As evidenced by their increasing prominence in the framework of multilateral economic and security diplomacy (both, for example, are members of the G20), as well as the ardor with which other international actors court them, the two rising Asian powers are contributing to the formation of a new balance of power in the world. They must thus use the opportunity to improve the globe in general and the developing world in particular, of which they make up the most.
Note for UPSC Aspirants: For UPSC aspirants interested in exploring further, here are some keywords to guide your research: G20, SCO, International Relations, India-ASEAN, BRICS, Belt and Road Initiative, Nine-dash Line, East Asia Summit, Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG).
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