The Dragon and the Elephant: Sino-Indian Relations in the Era of Modi and Xi

Dr Iftekhar Chowdhury, Professor Yuan Jingdong

20190128

About the Seminar This seminar reviews and analyses Sino-Indian relations since the early 2000s but with particular focus on the Narendra Modi-Xi Jinping period. It takes stock of both positive developments over the past two decades and major obstacles to continued progress and full normalisation between Asia’s two rising powers. It suggests that the two countries have much in common at the global level even as they remain suspicious of each other at the regional and sub-regional levels. However, this is a much matured relationship with various crisis anagement and conict prevention mechanisms in place, one that has in essence separated some of the contentious and sensitive issues (territorial disputes; Tibet) from other areas such as growing economic ties among emerging markets (for example, BRICS) and regional cooperation potentials (SCO). The challenges for both New Delhi and Beijing in recent years have been their inability to resolve their territorial disputes despite more than 20 rounds of negotiations by the two countries’ special representatives, which have continued, at times, during heightened border standoffs, and growing suspicions of maneuvers and activities in each other’s proximity, for example, China’s inroads into the Indian Ocean and India’s ‘Act East’ policy. These developments are taking place a time of rising nationalism and assertive foreign policy in both China and India with strong leaders Modi and Xi at the helm. Managing these challenges and preventing major conicts between the two countries will make an enormous impact on Asia’s peace and prosperity.   About the Speaker Dr Yuan Jingdong is a Visiting Senior Research Fellow at the East Asian Institute, National University of Singapore. He is Chair of Department of Government & International Relations, the University of Sydney. His research focuses on Indo-Pacic security, Chinese defence, and foreign policy, Sino-Indian relations, and nuclear arms control and non-proliferation. He has held visiting appointments at University of Macau, East-West Center, National Cheng-chi University, Mercator Institute for China Studies, Fudan University and Berlin Social Sciences Centre. He is the co-author of Chinese Cruise Missiles: A Quiet Force-Multiplier (2014) and China and India: Cooperation or Conict? (2003), and co-editor of Australia and China at 40 (2012). His publications have appeared in Asian Survey, Australian Journal of International Affairs, Contemporary Security Policy, International Affairs, International Journal, Journal of Contemporary China, Journal of International Affairs, Nonproliferation Review, Washington Quarterly, and in many edited volumes. He is currently working on a book manuscript on China-South Asian relations.   Introductory Remarks Dr Iftekhar Chowdhury Principal Research Fellow, ISAS-NUS; and Former Foreign Minister of Bangladesh   ISAS Seminar The Dragon and the Elephant: Sino-Indian Relations in the Era of Modi and Xi Professor Yuan Jingdong Visiting Research Fellow, East Asian Institute, NUS; and Chair, Department of Government & International Relations The University of Sydney, Australia   Chairperson Dr Iftekhar Chowdhury Principal Research Fellow, ISAS-NUS; and Former Foreign Minister of Bangladesh   Interactive Session with Professor Yuan Jingdong