Sino-Indian relations in the context of India's Look East policy

Abstract

Considerable work has been done both on India-China bilateral relations focusing on their border dispute and also on Indiaa??s Look East policy. However, research on the evolving nature of this bilateral relationship since the late 1980s been minimal. This thesis takes a closer look at Sino-Indian interactions from 1988 onwards and studies how it has influenced all round Indian security perceptions, political aims and economic interests. The thesis focuses on the three basic elements of interaction, Conflict, Competition and Cooperation and analyses their consequences for Indiaa??s foreign policy, especially in its adjacent Southeast Asian region. The research concludes that Southeast Asia has become a crucial arena for the interplay of the multidimensional forces governing India-China relations today. To what extent would Indiaa??s Look East policy help in carrying forward this new positive momentum in Sino-Indian relations today, remains an arena for potential research.