In the last decade, China has consistently made inroads in South Asia with its investment and aid diplomacy. This has helped Beijing gain access to major strategic points, the most prominent cases being Pakistan, Sri Lanka and the Maldives. China has also started investing heavily in infrastructure projects in Nepal and Bangladesh. The ‘all weather friendship’ between China and Pakistan has been a cause of concern for India for a long time.
India and Nepal, two South Asian countries share a multi-layered and unique relationship, which is tied by many factors. The economic, cultural and political aspects have motivated both the parties to strengthen and maintain the relationship. In fact, both of them require each other’s support in order to maintain geopolitical balance in the region. Nepal is traditionally, an important strategic ally of India and conversely, India is Nepal’s largest trading and business partner.
Beijing Not Moscow
Related Problematic Issues that Need Resolution by Government of India
Positive Points and Problematic Issues Related to the Trilateral Highway
In the last decade China has emerged as a formidable power in the space arena. After the success of the Anti-Satellite test (ASAT) in 2007 (where China destroyed its old satellite), Beijing established itself as a prominent space power and also showcased its capabilities to destroy satellites of other countries if the need arises. The ASAT test put China among a small list of countries that possessed the advanced space technological know-how.
The first ever Informal Summit held between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Xi Jinping in April 2018 has ushered in a period of relative peace and cooperation between India and China. After the Doklam standoff in 2017, the two countries were committed to normalising relations. The Wuhan Summit has set the tone for cooperation at both bilateral and international levels.
The relationship between India and China, often known as the leaders of the Asian century is a complex one and is often labeled as a mix of cooperation and conflict. However, differences in approaches to nontraditional security challenges are rapidly becoming the reason for the relationship tilting in favour of conflict. The latest and additional arena for conflict is that of water.
China has been North Korea’s most important diplomatic ally as well as its largest trading partner. Beijing has also been the largest supplier of food, oil and other essentials to North Korea and has thus helped in the survival of the North Korean regime. Even though China has been supporting the regime as it has always feared the outcomes of a failed North Korea, Beijing has been unhappy with the North Korean nuclear ambitions; and thus under Xi Jinping China did agree to adhere to the United Nations sanctions, though reluctantly.
