ABSTRACT

China proposed the ambitious Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) in 2013 to promote its economic transformation, and strengthen China’s connectivity with neighboring countries. South Asia is a key area for BRI cooperation, which includes the flagship project, the China–Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), and many big infrastructure projects such as ports along the Indian Ocean. Most South Asian countries have welcomed BRI, although India is concerned about the geopolitical impact of the initiative in South Asia. Thus, India has responded negatively to BRI which has triggered strategic competition between China and India. With the ups and downs of Sino-Indian relations since 2013, the differences between the two countries on the BRI have been slowly controlled. However, the geopolitical game between the two rising states will obviously continue.