The role of borders has been important throughout history as they have been decisive in relations between states. As is well known, borders, on the one hand, ensure that the output produced in a certain region is shared in that region; on the other hand, they facilitate the attribution of identity to societies. The issue that needs to be discussed at this point is that border disputes still exist today. This is because states have conflicts of interest over borders. In fact, actors are even developing policies to address border problems, which they characterize as the soft underbelly of their rivals.
As is well known, China is increasing its diplomatic power as well as its economic power in the international arena. The United States (US) aims to defend the system it leads against China. Therefore, it is possible to state that Beijing and Washington have confronted each other on many issues. It is possible to argue that the parties in this rivalry pursue policies aimed at weakening the rival and narrowing its sphere of influence, rather than open hostility. In this context, it would not be surprising for both China and the US to focus on their rival’s soft underbelly.
As can be seen, while China pursues policies against US interests, Washington tries to squeeze Beijing on various issues. The Joe Biden administration is also pursuing a multi-pronged containment policy against China. At this point, it is very important for the US to improve its relations with India.
To put things in perspective, in addition to the territorial rivalry between China and India, the two sides also have a border dispute over the Sikkim region. In Arunachal Pradesh State in particular, both sides have claims. The two actors went to war in 1962 over a dispute over the territory in question. Although there are no hot conflicts today, border crises occasionally escalate. This is evidenced by the tension between New Delhi and Beijing in 2017 and the conflict in 2020.
An analysis of American foreign policy reveals an approach that seeks to exploit the problems of its rivals to achieve results in its favor. As a matter of fact, during the Cold War, the United States, while fighting against the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR), saw the conflict between China and the USSR over the Ussuri River in 1969 and improved its relations with China. It can be concluded that Washington saw China as a potential maneuvering ground against the USSR and turned towards cooperation. At this point, Washington wants to cooperate with New Delhi against Beijing.
It is possible to say that the US interest in India has been reciprocated. New Delhi has a positive attitude towards the US, even though it has good relations with Russia and tries to pursue an independent policy. There are two main reasons for India’s positive attitude. The first one is that China is getting stronger every day. This is an obstacle to New Delhi’s influence in the region.
The second is the China-Pakistan rapprochement. Islamabad and Beijing are cooperating on various issues. One of the most important outcomes of this rapprochement is the $4.8 billion nuclear power plant deal. In particular, Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shahbaz Shariz described China as Pakistan’s most reliable ally as a result of this agreement.[1] In addition to its border dispute with China, India has historically had problems with Pakistan over the Kashmir region. Based on this dispute that has been carried to the present day, the New Delhi administration does not ignore the rapprochement of the two actors with whom it has a border dispute.
It can be said that Washington is experiencing a turning point in its rivalry with China. Indeed, the fact that US President Joe Biden called Chinese President Xi Jinping a dictator one day after US Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s visit to China opens the door to new crises in the struggle between the parties. Beijing called this statement a “ridiculous provocation”.[2] Nevertheless, it can be argued that this tension has brought the rivalry between Beijing and Washington to a new level. At this point, the US is likely to accelerate its policy of containment of China.
In short, Washington sees India as a potential ally to cooperate with in its struggle against China. In this sense, the ceremony organized during Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the United States is noteworthy.[3] One of the most important outcomes of Modi’s contacts in Washington was the permission for the US Navy to use Indian shipyards. This will contribute to Washington’s military presence in the region. This will obviously cause discomfort in Beijing.
New Delhi aims to diversify its supply routes by reducing economic dependence on China. In this context, it is deepening its relations with Washington. Given Modi’s multifaceted foreign policy, it is worth noting that India will not easily give up its emphasis on independence. The cooperation between the United States and India, while solid in the short term, may face challenges in the long term due to the emphasis on independence and the positive relations between Moscow and New Delhi.
As a result, the US aims to deepen its relations with India in order to contain China. This policy of the US also finds a positive response in India. One of the most important reasons for this is India’s border disputes with China and Pakistan and the close relations between Beijing and Islamabad.
[1] “Pakistan and China Sign $4.8 Billion Nuclear Power Plant Deal”, Reuters, https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/pakistan-china-sign-48-bln-nuclear-power-plant-deal-2023-06-20/, (Date of Accession: 20.06.2023)
[2] “China Hits Back After Biden Calls Xi a ‘Dictator’”, Reuters, https://www.reuters.com/world/biden-calls-chinese-president-xi-dictator-2023-06-21/, (Date of Accession: 21.06.2023)
[3] “Biden dočekao Modija u Bijeloj kući raskošnom ceremonijom.”, Aljazeera, https://balkans.aljazeera.net/news/world/2023/6/22/biden-docekao-modija-u-bijeloj-kuci-raskosnom-ceremonijom, (Date of Accession: 22.06.2023)
