ISAS Special Reports

The Institute of Chinese Studies, New Delhi, and the Institute of South Asian Studies, National University of Singapore, are delighted to present the proceedings of the symposium on China's Digital Silk Road and its implications for India. The symposium was held in New Delhi, in collaboration with the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung and the India International Centre on 25 September 2019. The objective of the symposium was to fill an important gap in the Indian debate on China's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). Although the land and maritime components of Chinese President Xi Jinping's BRI have received intense scrutiny in India, the digital dimension of China's ambitious initiative has received very little attention. In an ironic twist, while, officially, India has refused to join the BRI, the Indian industry already has a significant exposure to China's digital industries. The consequences of that digital dependence on China have come into sharp view amidst the growing concerns about India's large trade deficit with China. Adding to India's challenge is the unfolding trade and technology war between the United States and China and its international consequences.