28 August 2021, NIICE Commentary 7334
Dr. Junuguru Srinivas
In the world politics that is rapidly changing today—Western supremacy in International Relations is depleting every day. The transatlantic-dominated world economic system and liberal global order are being transformed with Global South countries like China, India, Brazil, and several other countries. Remarkably, China’s rise as one of the largest global economies and its footprints in the global economy resulted in China’s leading role in the emerging International Order. Likewise, China’s neighbour; India’s economic growth rate, and its strength is causing alarming bells for the global north to maneuver its foreign policy in emerging international politics. Currently, these two Asian giants are competing to become a dominant power. However, the question that arises is how these two countries are viewing the rapidly changing international politics? What exactly do China and India want to do in present international relations? Whether these two countries want to be a part of the existing global governance structure dominated by the US-led transatlantic order? Will these two countries cooperate or follow an antagonistic attitude with the global north? If so, then how would this conflict affect international politics? If not, then, Can India-China grow together? If so, then on what condition? These are the very critical questions to be answered by the time. There is much discourse on the Indo-China bilateral clashes. However, there is a shortage of literature on Indo-China views on the Global North supremacy in International Relations. Therefore, the article explores China and India’s perspective on transatlantic order.
Background
It has been more than seventy years that we have been living in a transatlantic architecture of international Relations. From the Post-war period of global politics to the recent past, the global politics have been dominated by the UN, IMF, World Bank, and several other global organizations. The West has created these global organizations to promote peace, stability, economic prosperity, and tranquility in International Relations. Thus, it is more of a Western global order that prevails in International Relations. However, the success of this global order has created its existential challenge.
Since the recent past, the structure of global politics has been rapidly changing because some of the significant Global South countries have evolved as prominent players of contemporary International Relations. Specifically, the evolution of China and India are more evident as emerging powers of ensuing International Relations. Apart from China and India, several other Global South countries are demanding a more democratic and inclusive global order. Further, they are also calling for reforming the existing institutional architecture of liberal international order. Primarily, the Global South countries want to play more active role in emerging International Relations. Hence, the Global South is calling for more representative and democratic International Relations. In this, China and India are more vocal countries.
India and China indeed have a chequered history. However, it is openly evident that the China-India relations are elements of cooperation, competition, and potentially conflict. In 2019, October, when Chinese leader Xi Jinping and Indian Prime Minister Naredra Modi stressed the cooperative aspects in the relationship for which both the countries have been affirming in regular intervals (Madan 2020). But we had witnessed the Dokhlam issue and Galwan valley problems in quick succession. That shows how precarious are India and China relations. But, when it comes to global order, both India and China want to reform the existing International Order. However, their perspective seems to be far different concerning the current global order.
India and China approach on Transatlantic World Order
Both India and China indeed want to make the existing global order more democratic and inclusive. India and China seek fairer terms of global trade. They want to prioritize Global South voices in running the global institutions. Further, India and China are demanding for multipolar world order in International Relations. However, to materialize that India and China have been adopting a different path. In this process, India and China are partnering in a slew of a regional organization to reform the existing global order. For example, both the nations are active members of the BRICS group and regularly emphasize improving the current institutional architecture of International Relations. While China’sattitude reflects a direct challenge towards the global order and transatlantic engagement in International Relational ties, , India on the other hand is adopting more benevolent methods for bringing reforms to the international order. However, that does not mean that India is not active and vocal in reforming global demand. Instead, it is trying to use active diplomatic methods.
Conclusion
But, both India and China indeed have scores of differences on various bilateral and multilateral aspects of international relations. For China, India is one of the annoying partners in its neighborhood. Scholar Kadira Pethiyagoda (2017) termed India as a ‘conditional threat’ to China as India’s foreign policy tilting towards the US is always an aggravating factor for China’s foreign policymakers. China believes that India will cooperate with the US in containing China’s role in international relations. At the same time, India considered China a threat to its national security and India’s role in international relations. China never supported India’s membership in the UNSC, and China was not okay with India joining the Nuclear Suppliers Group. Further, China’ never say no to Pakistan’s attitude toward India’s a prominent factor for the growing gulf between India and China. Therefore, despite having the same goal for both the countries to reform the existing global order, they are adopting different methods. However, one thing is sure that, being the same ambitious actors of present international relations, unless or until they cooperate, there is no possible change that can be expected in the bilateral or multilateral ties of India and China.
