Breaking Down the Chinese Wall, India-China Relations in a Changing World

Breaking Down the Chinese Wall, India-China Relations in a Changing World

Why in News

India and China are commemorating 75 years of diplomatic engagement in 2025. Against the backdrop of historical tensions and evolving cooperation, both nations are exploring ways to revive their long-standing civilizational ties while addressing present-day challenges. The meeting between Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and his Chinese counterpart Admiral Dong Jun on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Defence Ministers’ meeting, as well as other high-level interactions such as the resumption of the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra and the visit of Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi to India, have opened new avenues for dialogue. This context makes it important to revisit the historical, cultural, and intellectual linkages that once defined India-China relations and to explore how these legacies can guide present-day diplomacy.

Introduction

India and China, two of the world’s oldest civilizations, share centuries-old connections in philosophy, religion, trade, and knowledge. From the travels of Chinese scholars like Xuanzang and Faxian to Nalanda University in ancient India, to the exchange of Buddhism, arts, and ideas, the India-China relationship has historically been marked by curiosity, respect, and cultural learning. Yet, modern geopolitics has often overshadowed this shared heritage.

The legacy of Nalanda stands as a symbol of how intellectual collaboration can flourish even between vastly different societies. It reminds us that academic exchange and cultural understanding once helped build bridges across borders that political divisions could not erase. Today, as India and China navigate a turbulent relationship defined by border disputes, economic competition, and strategic rivalry, there is a renewed call to revive the “Nalanda spirit” — dialogue without suspicion, learning without boundaries, and cooperation rooted in mutual respect.

Key Issues and Background

1. Historical Civilizational Ties

• Chinese monks such as Xuanzang, Faxian, and Yijing traveled treacherous routes to reach Indian centers of learning like Nalanda.

• Nalanda University became a melting pot where intellectual exchanges thrived, blending philosophy, science, spirituality, and governance.

• The motto of Nalanda — Āno bhadrāḥ kratavo yantu viśvataḥ (“Let noble thoughts come to us from all directions”) — still resonates as a philosophy of openness and inclusivity.

2. Modern Diplomatic Engagement

• India and China formally established diplomatic relations in 1950.

• Over 75 years, their relationship has seen phases of cooperation (Panchsheel Agreement, BRICS, SCO, trade partnerships) and confrontation (1962 war, border tensions, military stand-offs).

• Recent years have seen tensions, particularly after the Galwan clashes of 2020, but both nations continue to engage through military and diplomatic channels.

3. Strategic Ambiguities

• China’s approach to India is often marked by strategic ambiguity: cooperation in trade and multilateral forums but confrontation at the border.

• India, too, must balance engagement with caution, ensuring its principles are not compromised.

• There is a need to shift from reactive diplomacy to proactive, future-oriented engagement.

4. The Nalanda Inspiration

• Nalanda symbolizes intellectual curiosity, compassion, and the power of dialogue.

• It provides a historical framework for India and China to build modern cooperation, especially in education, culture, environment, health, and technology.

• Rather than being constrained by political suspicion, Nalanda reminds both sides of the potential for respectful collaboration.

Specific Impacts or Effects

1. On Trade and Economics

   • Despite political tensions, India-China trade continues to thrive, crossing USD 100 billion annually.

   • However, India’s trade deficit with China remains a concern.

   • Stronger cooperation in areas like renewable energy, infrastructure, and digital innovation could create more balanced engagement.

2. On Academic and Cultural Exchanges

   • India’s re-establishment of Nalanda University provides a symbolic platform for reviving civilizational dialogues.

   • Academic collaboration can help reduce suspicion and foster people-to-people connections.

   • Exchange programs, joint research, and cultural festivals can keep the relationship resilient even in difficult political climates.

3. On Strategic Relations

   • Military confrontations and unresolved border issues continue to hinder trust.

   • However, dialogue mechanisms and agreements to avoid escalation are crucial for regional stability.

   • Both nations’ participation in multilateral organizations (SCO, BRICS, G20) offers opportunities for cooperative security and trade arrangements.

4. On Global Diplomacy

   • India and China are both major Asian powers with global influence.

   • Their ability to cooperate or clash has significant implications for global peace, climate change, trade systems, and multipolarity.

   • A cooperative India-China relationship could lead to stronger Asian leadership in global governance.

Challenges and the Way Forward

Challenges:

• Border Disputes: Unresolved boundary issues remain the biggest obstacle.

• Mutual Distrust: Deep-seated suspicion hampers dialogue.

• Strategic Competition: Both nations compete for influence in South Asia and beyond.

• Domestic Politics: Nationalist pressures often prevent conciliatory policies.

Way Forward:

1. Revive the Nalanda Spirit: Encourage academic and cultural exchanges without bureaucratic obstacles.

2. Invest in Soft Power Diplomacy: Build trust through shared projects in health, environment, and education.

3. Economic Cooperation with Fairness: Diversify trade relations to address imbalances.

4. Structured Dialogue: Institutionalize regular high-level interactions to manage crises.

5. Future-Oriented Vision: Focus on long-term cooperation in technology, climate change, and sustainable development.

Conclusion

India and China stand at a crossroads — between historical camaraderie and modern rivalry. The path ahead requires wisdom drawn from history and pragmatism rooted in present realities. Nalanda’s legacy of dialogue, mutual respect, and intellectual curiosity provides a timeless guide for moving forward. Breaking down the “Chinese wall” today does not mean erasing differences but managing them constructively. By investing in dialogue, academic exchange, and cooperative initiatives, both nations can create a steadier relationship that benefits not just themselves but also the entire region.

5 Questions and Answers

Q1. Why is the legacy of Nalanda important in India-China relations?
Nalanda represents centuries of intellectual exchange between India and China, highlighting dialogue, compassion, and curiosity as tools of diplomacy. It offers a model for building cooperation even amidst differences.

Q2. What are the major challenges in India-China relations today?
The biggest challenges are border disputes, mutual distrust, economic imbalances, and strategic competition in Asia and beyond.

Q3. How does strategic ambiguity shape China’s approach towards India?
China often engages with India in trade and multilateral platforms but remains confrontational on the border, keeping its policy ambiguous and unpredictable.

Q4. What lessons can India and China learn from the Nalanda tradition?
The Nalanda tradition teaches that dialogue without suspicion, intellectual openness, and compassion can create lasting relationships, even across civilizations with differences.

Q5. What is the way forward for India-China diplomacy?
The way forward includes reviving people-to-people exchanges, building trust through academic and cultural cooperation, addressing trade imbalances, and institutionalizing structured dialogue to prevent conflict.