ABSTRACT
This chapter assesses images of China in the strategic thought of Indian policymakers and analysts. It argues that China has been and continues to be seen in India as a cautionary warning, a model, a repressor, a partner, a peer, and a threat. It explores how these perceptions have shaped Nehruvian, Realist, Hindu nationalist, and Liberal strategic thinking about China. It analyzes the influence of these traditions on New Delhi's approach to managing China-related threats and opportunities, as well as the ongoing border dispute. It suggests that India's China strategy has been more varied than sometimes thought, shifting between Nehruvian and Realist approaches during and immediately after the Cold War, then toward a more Liberal policy in the 2000s, followed by a move toward a mixed Hindu nationalist and Realist approach in the mid-2010s. The final section evaluates the impact of the Galwan crisis on India's strategic thought and practice.
