"China and India were not doomed to perpetual enmity. They could enjoy a long period of peace again, but to do so, China had to use force to 'knock' India back to the negotiating table," writes Henry Kissinger in his book On China, quoting Mao Zedong, the supreme leader of the Communist Party of China, in the context of the Indo-China War in 1962. After the initial attack on India, Mao suddenly decided to end the stalemate, and his army generals were puzzled by his move. Mao explained to them that he never wanted to defeat India; the whole military exercise was to bring India to the negotiating table.
Since then, there have been skirmishes on the border with Chinese troops, but never a war. The most recent skirmish was in Galwan, where troops from both countries fought with each other. During Operation Sindoor, however, the Indian Forces witnessed a unique phenomenon. As deputy chief of armed forces, Lieutenant General Rahul Singh described that the Indian army was fighting two enemies on one border. He meant that along with Pakistan, China was also fighting a war against India; it used the theatre of war for testing its weaponry. By any definition, it was an enemy act.
Why Did Choma Risk Conflict?
In the larger context, it can easily be concluded that China was fighting a proxy war for Pakistan. It was a war between two civilisational countries that take great pride in their past. There was no reason for China to engage in a battle between the two traditional rivals who have fought five wars with each other. But it did. The question that needs to be asked is, why did China risk a major conflict with India? What was the purpose? Was it to force India to come to the negotiating table, as Mao had told his generals in October 1962?
In this context, the picture posted by India's foreign minister, S. Jaishankar, on X, in which he was seen shaking hands with Chinese President Xi Jinping, becomes important. Though Jaishankar was in Beijing to participate in the SCO foreign ministers' conference, the words he used in his post hint at a bigger picture. He wrote, "Apprised President Xi of the recent development of our bilateral ties. Value the guidance of our leaders in that regard." It's hard to imagine that these words were for a country that had only weeks ago indulged in a major war-like action, and since then has also tried to impede India's economic growth? In recent days, China has deliberately tried to stop the export of rare earth material and specialised fertilizers to India, and it has recalled its more than three hundred engineers working for Foxconn. Does it mean that despite all kinds of bravado by the Modi government, India has calculated that China is too significant a country in the current global scenario, and that it is better to have a peaceful relationship with it?
China Needs Allies
We have to understand that foreign policy is not about friendship and personal relationships, but about furthering national interests. And if the Modi government has decided to improve its relationship with China, then it is a good move. China is presently at the cusp of a major transformation, from being a superpower to the number one country in the world. It needs allies and partners.
China has made enormous progress since Mao's time. In the 1970s, India and China were of approximately the same economic size. Since Mao's departure, however, Deng's reforms have changed China beyond recognition. No other country in history has shown such remarkable economic growth as China has achieved in such a short time. In 40 years, China has not only become a $19-trillion economy - second in the world after the US - but it has also become a technological superpower. Its recent technological breakthrough in the field of artificial intelligence and electric vehicles has shocked the Western world, particularly the US. The icing on the cake is that, unlike in America, China's technology is very cheap. Its electric motor car, BYD, has the potential to jolt Tesla's standing worldwide. Musk today is a worried man. Similarly, China's extremely cost-effective DeepSeek poses an existential challenge to the US's AI market and technology.
China has also shown during Operation Sindoor that it has evolved a much-advanced military technology that can achieve air dominance through a network of AI, sensors and the Internet.
Rational Thinking
No doubt, India has also progressed a lot since the 1991 economic reforms. It is the fastest-growing economy today and arguably the fourth-largest one in the world. But, it's not a $5 trillion economy, yet, and struggles to match China's economic and technological heft. China today is a manufacturing giant and makes up for almost 31.6% of the world's manufactured goods. India is still a developing economy, with 80 crore people fed largely by the government. Its per capita income is only $2,878, which places it at 143rd rank among 196 countries. China, with its $25,307 per capita income, is ranked 70th. India's manufacturing sector is sluggish, and despite recent initiatives like Make in India and Atmanirbhar Bharat, its contribution to the global market is only 2.9%.
China, since Xi Jinping became its supreme leader, has become ambitious and is spreading its tentacles across the globe. It has spread like a vice in Africa. In South Asia, it is working to diplomatically encircle India from all corners. Once, India was very proud of its historical ties with Russia, but not anymore. Today, Russia is China's best friend - Moscow's awkward silence during Operation Sindoor is a pointer. Russia even called Pakistan a natural ally and partner recently. China's bitter reaction to the issue of the Dalai Lama's incarnation is also a hint to India's decision-makers.
The point is, if India has to become Viksit Bharat by 2047, then it needs peace on its borders. It is in India's interest to have a good bilateral relationship with it and use that time to grow economically. If India is seen as an adversary in Beijing and as an impediment to its goals, then friction is inevitable. Anyway, India cannot rely on Trump's America anymore. A little neighbourliness can go a long way.
(The author is co-founder of SatyaHindi and author of 'Reclaiming Bharat' and 'Hindu Rashtra')
Disclaimer: These are the personal opinions of the author
