ABSTRACT
This chapter deals with three parallel trends in India’s relationship with China under the Modi government. The first section details increased economic cooperation and diplomatic engagement. Next, the chapter discusses the enduring disagreements between India and China over their disputed border areas, with particular focus on the Doklam incident, Indian statements concerning Tibet and the Dalai Lama, and territorial issues related to the China–Pakistan Economic Corridor. The third section evaluates India’s growing strategic rivalry with China in South Asia and the Indian Ocean Region. Given this complex mix of cooperation and confrontation, the chapter argues that India’s current response to China’s rise is not one of classical balancing but falls more into the category of hedging, although it acknowledges that India’s approach vis-à-vis China is moving towards more confrontation.
