Managing China: Competitive Engagement, with Indian Characteristics Tanvi Madan
MANAGING CHINA: COMPETITIVE ENGAGEMENT, WITH INDIAN CHARACTERISTICS TANVI MADAN FEBRUARY 2020 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY major powers — including Australia, France, Japan, Russia, and the United States — that can help balance This paper explores India’s ties with China, outlining China, and build India’s and the region’s capabilities. how they have evolved over the course of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s years in office. It lays out the In this context, India has largely approved of the Trump elements of cooperation, competition, and potentially administration’s more competitive view of China, even conflict in the Sino-Indian relationship, as well as the as it does not have similar concerns about China as an leverage the two countries potentially hold over each ideological challenge and despite Delhi’s discomfort other. The paper also examines the approach that with certain elements of Washington’s approach Delhi has developed to manage its China relationship toward Beijing. Their broad strategic convergence on — one that can be characterized as “competitive China has laid the basis for U.S.-India cooperation engagement with Indian characteristics.” The paper across a range of sectors, particularly in the diplomatic, details how and why India is simultaneously engaging defense, and security spheres, as well as incentivized with Beijing, where that is feasible, and competing the two sides to manage or downplay their differences. with China, alone and in partnership with others. Finally, the paper considers what could cause India to This convergence could unravel if there is a major reevaluate its approach to China either toward greater Indian reorientation on China, but the paper argues accommodation or greater competition.
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