Advertisement
Opinion
How ‘America first’ is bringing India and China closer together
With a more transactional US administration in power, India is cautious about bearing the costs and pressures of confronting China alone
3-MIN READ3-MIN
6
Keji Mao is a research fellow at the International Cooperation Centre of the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), China, and a China Forum Expert.
On a recent episode of the Lex Fridman podcast, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi extensively discussed relations with China, emphasising that stable and cooperative ties can only be established through dialogue. This ice-breaking statement garnered praise from a Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson, likely signalling a new phase in bilateral engagement between the two Asian giants.
Why has the China-India relationship suddenly shifted? What lies ahead? The key reason for this development is New Delhi’s realisation that maintaining a cold war with Beijing is increasingly costly. More importantly, given that last October, the two sides held their first formal bilateral dialogue since the 2020 Galwan incident, economic cooperation could soon take diplomatic precedence over the border dispute.
It is clear that US-Indian dynamics play a significant role in shaping Sino-Indian ties. The advent of Trump 2.0 marks a period of deep readjustment in US-India relations, which inevitably influences India’s approach to China.
Select Voice
Select Speed
1x
AI-generated voice