DR.

RAM MANOHAR LOHIYA NATIONAL LAW

UNIVERSITY

SUBJECT- POLITICAL SCIENCE

TOPIC- INDO-CHINA RELATIONS.

SUBMITTED TO- SUBMITTED BY-

Dr. Monika Srivastava Mohit Kumar Singh

Asst. Professor B.A. LLB. (1st sem.)

RMLNLU Roll no. - 83

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 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT –

On the successful completion of this project I would like to express my sincere

gratitude towards my subject teacher Dr. Monika Srivastava for his support and
guidance.

Sincere thanks to my seniors and friends for being a great support throughout.

This section cannot be complete without acknowledging Dr. Madhu Limaya Library
(RMLNLU) for providing all useful information that helped me throughout my research.

- Mohit Kumar Singh

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 TABLE OF CONTENTS –

1- Introduction.............................................................................. page no. 4

2- Indo-China relations- a glimpse of past................................. page no. 6
3- Indo-China relations – present scenario................................ page no. 7
4- Problems in this relation.......................................................... page no. 9
5- Prerequisites for success......................................................... page no. 10
6- Indo-China – geographical overview..................................... page no. 11
7- Conclusion............................................................................... page no. 11
8- Bibliography............................................................................ page no. 12

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 INTRODUCTION –

Long long ago, we all were taught to recite- hindi chini bhai bhai. Today India and China
are two major arising powers of Asia. Both of them are progressing in every field, be it
economic, security, military strength with leaps and bounds. According to Canadian
business online indo-china relation will strengthen key relationships in the world's
second-largest economy, open doors for our small- and medium-sized businesses to new
opportunities and unlock long-term success for Albertans in China .
Chinese premier Wen Jiabao when visiting India recently when meeting with his
counterpart Dr. Manmohan Singh claimed that "The relationship between China and
India has experienced an unusual course of development over the past 60 years,"
The first footstep started on April 1, 1950 . India was the second country to establish
diplomatic relations with China among the non-socialist countries. In 1954, Chinese
Premier Zhou Enlai and Indian Prime Minister Nehru exchanged visits and jointly
initiated the famous Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence. Indian Prime Minister, Rajiv
Gandhi's visit to China in December1988, facilitated a warming trend in relations.

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 REPUBLIC OF INDIA PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF CHINA

POPULATION 1,210,193,422 1,339,724,852

AREA 3,287,240 km² 9,640,821 km²

POPULATION 382 km2 139.6 km2

DENSITY

G.D.P. US$ 1.825 trillion US$ 8.227 trillion

HUMAN 0.554 0.669

DEVELOPMENT
INDEX
MILLITARY US$45.785 BILLION US$166.107 BILLION
EXPENDITURE

MAN POWER Active troops – 1,325,000 Acctive troops – 2,285,000

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 INDIA-CHINA RELATIONS, A GLIMPSE OF PAST -

The cultural relations between India and China can be traced back to very early times.
There are numerous references to China in Sanskrit texts, but their chronology is sketchy.
The Mahabharata refers to China several times, including a reference to presents brought
by the Chinese at the Rajasuya Yajna of the Pandavas; also, the Arthasastra and the
Manusmriti mention China. According to French art historian, Rene Grousset, the name
China comes from "an ancient" Sanskrit name for the regions to the east, and not, as often
supposed, from the name of the state of Ch'in," the first dynasty established by Shih
Huang Ti in 221 B.C. The Sanskrit name Cina for China could have been derived from
the small state of that name in Chan-si in the northwest of China, which flourished in the
fourth century B.C. Scholars have pointed out that the Chinese word for lion, shih, used
long before the Chin dynasty, was derived from the Sanskrit word, simha, and that the
Greek word for China, Tzinista, used by some later writers, appears to be derivative of
the Sanskrit Chinasthana. According to Terence Duke, martial arts went from India to
China. Fighting without weapons was a specialty of the ancient Kshatriya warriors of
India. Both Arnold Toynbee and Sir L. Wooley speak of a ready made culture coming to
China. That was the Vedic culture of India.

Until recently, India and China had coexisted peacefully for over two thousand years.
This amicable relationship may have been nurtured by the close historical and
religious ties of Buddhism, introduced to China by Indian monks at a very early stage
of their respective histories, although there are fragmentary records of contacts
anterior to the introduction of Buddhism.

Gerolamo Emilio Gerini (1860 -1913) has said: “During the three or four centuries,
preceding the Christian era, we find Indu (Hindu) dynasties established by adventurers,
claiming descent from the Kshatriya potentates of northern India, ruling in upper
Burma, in Siam and Laos, in Yunnan and Tonkin, and even in most parts of southeastern
China." The Chinese literature of the third century is full of geographic and
mythological elements derived from India. "I see no reason to doubt," comments Arthur
Waley in his book, The Way and its Power, "that the 'holy mountain-men' (sheng-hsien)
described by Lieh Tzu are Indian rishi; and when we read in Chuang Tzu of certain
Taoists who practiced movements very similar to theasanas of Hindu yoga, it is at least
a possibility that some knowledge of the yoga technique which these rishi used had also
drifted into China."

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 INDO-CHINA RELATIONS, PRESENT SCENARIO –

We can say that the approach of India towards china changed from “Blind Optimism” to
“Cautious pragmatism”.
To understand the importance of this relation better, let us first examine the main reasons so
as why is this relationship so important for both of these countries. Well these are also the
reasons so as why there has always been strain between relation of these countries.
China’s quiet but steady plans of increasing it’s military capabilities are not going unnoticed!
Reports emanating from the Pentagon, early last week, have confirmed that it has
successfully deployed long range CSS-5 missiles close to the Indian border while also having
developed contingency plans to move airborne forces to the region at very short notice. Quite
naturally, this is of serious concern to India, considering the long standing not-so-friendly
relations that both countries have shared over the years, a culmination of which was
witnessed in 1962 when Chinese aggression against India came at a very unexpected time, at
the backdrop of the Indo-China cooperation effort that was supposed to spearhead the
beginning of a warm bilateral relationship between both nations!
It may be recalled that, not very long ago, China tried to block a $2.9 billion loan that
India had sought from the Asian Development Bank, citing that it was purported for use
in Arunachal Pradesh, a region China claims to be part of it’s territory! Such concerted
attempts by the Chinese are not few or far apart these days and seem to be well
orchestrated as is it’s view of emerging India and it’s imminently rising socio-economic
status! China has, during the recent past, engaged in massive infrastructure development
along the border with India, strengthening road and rail networks, aimed to augment
operations by the PLA in the possible hope of arm-twisting it’s neighbour and gaining
superiority in the region! So long as such projects continue to be undertaken unbridled,
there is a looming danger of Chinese incursions on a large and more determined scale and
the Government of India needs to ensure that steps are taken to recognize such threats by
putting into place countermeasures of deterrence, or in the present circumstances,
defence at least!
Alarmingly, the Indian side remains yet to be strengthened by dependable road and rail
networks that could help mobilization of troops and resources in the event of a Chinese
misadventure. That Chinese incursions are happening in a very slow and inch-by-inch
manner does not mean that they are not happening at all. China is also supplying the local
populace with essential commodities and supplies fully aware of the sheer scale of
neglect by the Indian side. By doing this, it hopes to gain confidence of the people in the
region, another threat that the Government of India must recognize immediately.
Furthermore, China’s record of completing strategic projects well ahead of schedule and
the fact that contingents of the Indian army need to walk for days together to reach the
border are not helping the Indian side in any manner.

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 Contemporary Issues with China

Relations between contemporary China and India have been characterised by border
disputes, resulting in three major military conflicts — the Sino-Indian War of 1962, the
Chola incident in 1967, and the 1987 Sino-Indian skirmish. However, since the late 1980s,
both countries have successfully attempted to reignite diplomatic and economic ties. In
2008, China emerged as India's largest trading partner and the two countries have also
attempted to extend their strategic and military relations.
Despite growing economic and strategic ties, there are several hurdles for India and the PRC
to overcome in order to establish favourable relations. Though bilateral trade has
continuously grown, India faces massive trade imbalance heavily in favour of China. The
two countries have failed to resolve their long-standing border dispute and Indian media
outlets have repeatedly reported Chinese military incursions into Indian Territory. Both
countries have steadily established heavy military infrastructure along border areas.
Additionally, India remains wary about China's strong strategic bilateral relations with Pakistan,
while China has expressed concerns about Indian military and economic activities in the disputed
South China Sea.

Indian President Pranab Mukherjee’s visit to Arunachal Pradesh, a northeast Indian state that
China recognizes as “South Tibet”, in late November, 2013 and in his speech calling the area
an “integral and important part of India” generated an angry response from Beijing. Foreign
ministry spokesman Qin Gang's statement in response to Mukherjee's two-day visit to
Arunachal Pradesh was "China's stance on the disputed area on the eastern part of the China-
India border is consistent and clear.
In September, 2014 the relationship took a sting as troops of the People’s Liberation Army
(PLA) have reportedly entered two kilometres inside the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in
Chumar sector. The next month, V. K. Singh said that China and India had come to a
"convergence of views" on the threat of terrorism emanating from Pakistan.
The relationship between India and China has never been too strong in modern times, though
the bilateral trade is expected to touch $1 Trillion by 2050. There have also been
speculations on Indian side on how to tackle the rising trade deficit with China which
currently stands up at $40 Billion.

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PROBLEMS IN THIS RELATION -

PROBLEM IN VIEW POINT –

There has always been a perception problem amidst these two countries. In India, media has
always portrayed China as a dangerous competitor while in China, India is always viewed by
some nationalists express a strong dislike towards India. They need to realise that India needs
to be viewed as a strong economic and global power. The mutual distrust between the two
peoples has undoubtedly affected the development of the relationship between their countries
and may continue to do so.

BORDER ISSUES –

The India-China border and other territorial disputes, along with the issue of Tibet, restrict
the establishment of political trust. Such a bilateral security dilemma is difficult to solve
and is not conducive to co-operation. India has been concerned with China’s infrastructure
building in Tibet, which it views as a strengthening of China’s strategic advantage in the
region. According to the Indian media, Prime Minister Singh agreed to station an additional
90,000 troops along India’s border with China in 2012. Although India has officially recognised
that Tibet is part of China, it still hosts the Tibetan independence force. Moreover, given that
China and Pakistan maintain a quasi-alliance, while India and Pakistan are still hostile to each
other, the power-balance game is still being played in the region. China is also very sensitive
about India’s recent involvement in oil exploration in the South China Sea and its actions to
strengthen maritime co-operation with Japan, which has disputes with China over islands in the
region. The so-called “String of Pearls” strategy, which suggests that
China is constraining India by constructing ports and bases in the Indian Ocean region, has
been heavily covered by the Indian media.

THE PAKISTAN FACTOR –

China, sensing the presence of a viable buffer to India's strengthening position in the
subcontinent, in the geographically vast and populous nation of Pakistan, moved to make
clear overtures to the country's leaders in a bid to win them over. Pakistan, with the
animosity towards India that it had inherited at its very inception, was ideal to keep India
tied up in conflict and to prevent its ascent, especially as a nuclear power in Asia.

TIBET –

While the border issue has remained more central to India, the concerns over Tibet have
always been more pertinent for Beijing. India had to concede its privileges in Tibet to China,
post its independence as granted by British administrators, which included the right to
maintain a small diplomatic mission in some Tibetan territories. When China invaded and
occupied Tibet in late 1949, the Indian leadership remained silent of that, too, fearing
Chinese belligerence

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towards their own borders, which was to be avoided at all cost in the Cold War conditions
of the time.

 PREREQUSITES FOR SUCCESS -

The key to achieving this partnership is to abolish both the Cold War mentality and the
concept of “sphere of influence”. India and China should not see South Asia or East Asia as
being solely under their respective spheres of influence. For its part, India should understand
that China respects the special role that India plays in South Asia and work with Beijing to
promote the development and stability of the region. China’s active approach in South Asia
and the South Asian Association for Regional Co-operation does not aim at eliminating the
influence of India; its involvement concerns the fact that it shares borders with South Asian
countries. If we judge a country geographically, China could also be seen as a South Asian
country, in the sense that the South Asian-influenced Tibetan Plateau comprises a quarter of
China’s overall territory. Historically, culturally and geographically, China has had close ties
with South Asian countries and India does not need to be nervous about China’s engagement
with the region. Taking economic development as an example, China’s south-western
provinces, such as Sichuan and Yunnan, have strong interests in promoting business
connections with South Asia, as they see this region as a major market and investment
destination. China’s investment in the ports of the region ispurely for commercial purposes.
This investment is important because China needs commercial ports on the Indian Ocean for
transportation across the region, which is very important for China’s trade and its energy
supplies.

In turn, China should also accept the reality that India is an important player in East Asia.
India, as an emerging power, has been seen as an economic opportunity by many regional
countries. For example, the prime minister of Singapore, Lee Hsien Loong , once commented
that the historical origin of Singapore was due to trade between China and India. It now
seems that history is repeating itself, as an opportunity exists for Singapore in linking the two
countries. It is natural for India to pursue its interests in the region, as East Asia is the most
robust economy in the world, particularly since the Global Financial Crisis.

Some Chinese intellectuals have expressed concern that India could ally with the US to constrain
China. Judging from developments since 2010, however, there is no evidence that India has
formed a strong alliance with the US to compete with China. For example, India refused to join in
the proposed quadrilateral security mechanism comprising the US, Japan, India and Australia.
Regardless of the effort the US has put into trying to draw India closer by emphasising shared
values and democratic institutions, Indian policymakers have remained as neutral as possible and
developed foreign policy based on India’s own national interests.
India has its own goal of great power status and understands that a good relationship with
China is the key to achieving it. Both countries are latecomers to the international system
and passive receivers of the existing international norms and rules. Hostility between these
two countries will only weaken the alliance between the emerging countries in attempting to
reform the global order

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 INDO-CHINA GEOGRAPHICAL OVERVIEW –

China and India are separated by the formidable geographical obstacles of the Himalayas.
China and India today share a border along the Himalayas with Nepal and Bhutan acting as
buffer states. Parts of the disputed Kashmir region claimed by India are claimed and
administered by either Pakistan (Azad Kashmir and Gilgit and Baltistan) or by the PRC
(Aksai Chin). The Government of Pakistan on its maps shows the Aksai Chin area as mostly
within China and labels the boundary "Frontier Undefined" while India holds that Aksai Chin
is illegally occupied by the PRC.

China and India also dispute most of Arunachal Pradesh at the far eastern end of the
Himalayas. However, both countries have agreed to respect the Line of Actual Control
here; the area just north of Tawang is seen as a potential flashpoint.

 CONCLUSION-
In conclusion I would like to say that, even after years of independence, India is surrounded
by such silent enemies. Where a step mistaken can lead to war.

“Ek tooti hui zanjeer ki fariyaad hai hum;

Aur duniya samajhti hai ki aazad hai hum,

Is daur-e-tarakki ne kya diya hume;

Kal bhi barbaad the aur aaj bhi burbaad hain hum.”

Indian government should pay heed to it’s relation with China and both of the countries need
to understand that they are prerequisites to each other and good relations need to be
maintained mutually.

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 BIBLIOGRAPHY-
Books-

 China and India: A New Asian Drama.

 China and India in the age of globalization.

Websites-

 http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/topic/Indo-china-Relation s
 http://www.cnas.org/asian-power-web
 http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2013-08-16/china-japan-and-indias-asian-arms-rac e
 http://www.mindworkzz.in/recent-developments-in-indo-china-relations.asp x
 http://www.hinduwisdom.info/India_and_China.ht m

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