India and the US-China Great Power Rivalry

The US-China rivalry and their respective order-building projects throw up several challenges for India. This chapter examines how India views and responds to China's Belt and Road Initiative and the American-helmed 'free and open Indo-Pacific'. Even though India sees itself in strategic competition with China, in practice, India continues to engage with the Chinese in various regional and international groupings in order to counter pressure to move too fast with the US' own initiatives. The chapter argues that India will be an extremely difficult participant in any order-building project that it does not itself lead or influence. While this is long-standing Indian behaviour, what makes the present moment different is the increasing influence of domestic factors on India's approach. Specifically, the Hindu nationalist interests and particular worldview of the Bharatiya Janata Party in power in the central government in India appear to be a key determinant of India's approaches to dealing with rival American and Chinese initiatives.