The Remodеling of China-India Relations: An Analysis of Strategic Perspectives
Recently, China-India relations have stunned the world with a drastic shift from both countries being strategic partners to being strategic antagonists, occasionally leading to a brink-of-war scenario. This dramatic change is accompanied by a sharp change in India’s understanding of China. This study attempts to investigate the great debate between three schools of thought - pacifist, pragmatic, and ultranationlist within the Indian strategic community concerning the rise of China by analyzing and interpreting relevant open archives and rhetoric regarding China. Additionally, this study reviews three schools of thought regarding India within the Chinese strategic community - traditional friendship, irreconcilable contradiction, and parallel rising schools. Based on an analytical comparison of these strategic schools in both countries, this study argues that between the strategic communities of the two countries are forming three potential strategic interaction modes - deterrence, engagement and containment, and accommodation. This study also proposes policy recommendations that may allow the two countries to steer clear of geopolitical confrontation, and de-escalate potential risks related to a military or warlike conflict in future.