India tests multipolar vision as US-China ties ease

This potential de-escalation raises questions for India, which has long viewed China's growing power as a threat, a sentiment that has underpinned its strategic partnership with Washington and cooperation within the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue. While more stable U.S.-China relations could reduce the overall threat to India's security interests and potentially lessen China's inclination for border provocations, it might also undermine the strategic rationale for the U.S.-India partnership.

New Delhi has been actively pursuing a limited detente with Beijing, a strategy accelerated as a hedge against perceived unpredictability from the U.S. This rapprochement has included recent diplomatic engagements, such as Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi's visit to New Delhi, where he met with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other senior Indian officials. Direct flights between the two nations are set to resume after a five-year hiatus, and border issues are once again on the agenda. During his meetings, Wang Yi emphasized that India and China should view each other as 'partners' rather than 'adversaries'.

Historically, the Sino-Indian relationship has fluctuated between periods of warmth and hostility. Despite economic cooperation and agreements aimed at defusing border tensions in the past, new tensions emerged around the border in 2019. Nevertheless, signs over the past year indicate efforts to mend the relationship, although surveys and political commentary suggest China remains a significant security concern for India, even more so than Pakistan.