As tensions increase between China and the U.S., Washington appears to take advantage of India’s feud with China. It looks like India and China have plans to work collaboratively using their shared increasing frustration with China as a method of bonding together.
While the Trump administration has taken numerous economic and political actions against China, India has had its own military issues with China as well.
This June, violence erupted at a land border in Galwan Valley leaving 20 Indian troops dead. This clash highlighted both nations not wanting to further the conflict but neither are willing to renounce that territory either. Tensions only increased over the summer after a solder in the Indian army was killed in August, and then again in September after shots were fired along the India-China border for the first time in years. Neither nation took responsibility for the military fire.
Now, the NYTimes reports, there is talk of a potential budding partnership knows as the “Quadrilateral Security Dialogue” that would unite the U.S., India, Japan, and Australia. Though this partnership has never been fully executed in the past due to India’s hesitancy, India might now be prepared to participate.
Though India’s motives in finally agreeing to join the “Quad” may echo Washington’s Anti-China sentiment, we have yet to see if the other states would agree to join as it is clear where India and China currently stand. While the U.S. has been vocal and condemned China’s human rights abuses towards Muslims, the U.S. has remained silent about Indian Prime Minister Modi’s similar treatment of Muslims. This hypocrisy has not gone unnoticed but the Trump administration seems to be actively ignoring India’s human rights violations.
Victoria,
This is, as you suggest, a potentially important development. As we discussed earlier in the semester, a common approach in international relations is the act of “balancing,” and that appears to be what India may now be doing. It recognizes the rising power of China and that it will need strong allies to fend off Chinese aggression, especially on their common border. The US, too, is looking to balance China as its power grows to threaten US interests in the Pacific region. It will be fascinating to watch this play out over the coming months and years.
–Professor Wallerstein