22 April 2025 : The Hindu Editorial Analysis
1. India-China @75 — A Time for Strategy, Not Sentiment
| Topic: GS2 –International Relations, GS Paper 3 – Security Issues |
| Context |
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Key Issues Highlighted
- China as a Structural Factor: India’s foreign policy decisions are now heavily influenced by China, especially regarding border infrastructure, trade diversification, and defence alliances.
- Border & Security Tensions: Despite troop deployment and military vigilance post-Galwan and 1962, the LAC remains volatile, needing more than just military presence for long-term stability.
- Economic Interdependence: China remains India’s largest trading partner, despite political tensions. India’s approach is now one of “competitive coexistence” — balancing rivalry and limited economic ties.
- Multilateral Platforms: India navigates both cooperation (BRICS, SCO) and competition (Quad) with China, ensuring strategic autonomy and avoiding full alignment with any one bloc.
- China in South Asia: China’s growing footprint in the region (e.g., Sri Lanka, Nepal, Maldives) challenges India’s influence. India counters with aid, infrastructure, and diplomatic engagement.
- Narrative Power: Influence today lies in storytelling and perception. PM Modi’s March 2025 podcast presented India’s message of calm, dialogue, and leadership — received positively by China.
- U.S.-China Rivalry: The editorial warns against blindly aligning with the U.S., especially amid Trump’s return. Strategic autonomy must remain India’s guiding foreign policy principle.
- Yarlung Tsangpo (Brahmaputra) Concerns: China’s dam project near Arunachal Pradesh raises alarms over ecological, sovereignty, and water security risks, with no formal water-sharing treaty in place.
Policy Recommendations – The 4-Pillar China Strategy
- Military Readiness – Vigilance without provocation
- Economic Diversification – Reducing critical dependencies
- Diplomatic Engagement – Strengthening dialogue mechanisms
- Narrative Control – Shaping global/regional perceptions
Vision for the Future: The editorial urges India to build an Asian security architecture rooted in Mutual Respect, Sensitivity, and Interest, rather than rely solely on the West for balance.
Conclusion: India-China ties at 75 reflect not nostalgia but a call to leadership. China is a mirror — India must see it not as a threat alone but as an opportunity to define its global role.
| PYQWhat are the strategic implications of the Galwan Valley clash for India’s border policy? (2020, GS3)India’s neighbourhood policy is witnessing new challenges due to China’s rise. Analyze. (2023, GS2) |
| Practice Question: “India-China relations at 75 reflect a shift from sentimentalism to strategic realism. In this context, critically examine India’s evolving China policy with reference to border security, economic interdependence, regional rivalry, and strategic autonomy.” (250 words / 15 marks) |
Read more – 17 April 2025 : The Hindu Editorial Analysis
