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India-China Relations: Challenges And Opportunities For BRICS

IAS Current Affairs

What India-China Relations Mean For BRICS And India

Source: Indian Express
GS II: India and its neighborhood, Effects of politics and politics of developed and developing countries on India’s interests

Overview

  • Recent efforts to stabilise relations have created space for engagement, but border tensions, trade imbalances and strategic distrust remain major challenges.
  • India and China continue to cooperate within BRICS despite bilateral differences, while global trade disruptions, energy security and Global South concerns offer areas of common interest.
  • China and Russia often view BRICS as a counterweight to the West, whereas India sees it as a non-Western platform consistent with its policy of multi-alignment and strategic autonomy.
  • BRICS can play a larger role in global governance and development, but its effectiveness will depend on managing internal differences and preventing geopolitical rivalries from disrupting practical cooperation.

Why in the News?

Chinese President Xi Jinping’s visit to India for the BRICS Leaders’ Summit, his first visit to the country after a gap of seven years, has brought renewed attention to the changing trajectory of India–China relations.

News in Brief
  • While the visit is linked to the BRICS Summit, it is also significant because bilateral relations continue to be shaped by the 2020 eastern Ladakh border standoff, strategic distrust, economic differences and a rapidly changing geopolitical environment.
  • These developments will influence the BRICS Summit and raise questions about whether the grouping can become a platform for cooperation despite major differences among its members.
  • India and China also differ in their broader understanding of BRICS: while China and Russia have often projected it as an “anti-West” grouping, India sees BRICS as a “non-Western” platform rather than one directed against the West.
The Evolving Position of BRICS Countries
  • The idea of BRIC emerged in 2001 to describe Brazil, Russia, India and China as major emerging economies expected to play a greater role in the global order.
  • However, over the past 25 years, these countries have followed very different paths.
  • China has emerged as the world’s second-largest economy and significantly expanded its military and geopolitical influence.
  • India has maintained strong economic growth and increased its global profile, while Russia, Brazil, and South Africa have faced different economic, political and geopolitical challenges.
  • Since the first BRICS Summit in 2009, China has emerged as the strongest member of the grouping in terms of overall economic and strategic.
China’s Growing Economic and Strategic Power
  • China’s rise has gone far beyond economic growth.
  • It has strengthened its military capabilities, expanded its presence in the Indo-Pacific and adopted a more assertive approach in the South China Sea and its neighbourhood.
  • China’s ambition to play a larger role in shaping the international order has also increased its strategic competition with the United States.
  • For India, China’s growing power has a direct impact on national security, particularly along the disputed border.
India-China Border Tensions and the Trust Deficit
  • India and China have experienced several military conflicts and border standoffs, including the 1962 war, the 1967 clashes in Sikkim, the Depsang and Chumar standoffs, the Doklam crisis in 2017 and the eastern Ladakh crisis since 2020.
  • The Galwan Valley clash in June 2020 marked a particularly serious deterioration in bilateral relations.
  • Twenty Indian soldiers and at least four Chinese personnel were killed.
  • The incident was followed by a large-scale military deployment along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) and created a deep political and strategic trust deficit.
Recent Attempts to Stabilize Relations
  • Despite the prolonged tensions, both countries have taken gradual steps to stabilise relations.
  • Diplomatic and military negotiations have resulted in disengagement from some friction points.
  • Other developments, including the resumption of direct flights, easing of visa restrictions, restarting of the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra and relaxation of some restrictions affecting Chinese investments, indicate an attempt to restore limited normalcy.
  • However, these developments do not mean that the deeper strategic differences between India and China have disappeared.
Major Unresolved Differences
  • India remains concerned about its large trade deficit with China, limited market access for Indian businesses and dependence on Chinese imports in several sectors.
  • The continued militarization of the border also makes bilateral relations vulnerable to renewed tensions.
  • China’s close strategic relationship with Pakistan, including concerns over coordination during Operation Sindoor, has further complicated India’s security calcualtions.
  • Thus, while economic and diplomatic engagement may be improving, the strategic trust deficit remains significant.
Changing Global Environment and Areas of Convergence
  • The changing global environment has created some areas where India and China may find common ground.
  • US Tariff policies, global trade disruptions, inflation, energy insecurity and supply-chains.
  • These developments have created common concerns for BRICS members and the wider Global South.
  • Potential areas of cooperation include energy security, supply-chain resilience, trade stability, development concerns and reform of global governance institutions.
What does this means for BRICS?
  • India and China continue to cooperate within BRICS despite their bilateral differences.
  • However, their relationship also reflects a larger challenge within the grouping: BRICS members have different geopolitical interests and strategic priorities.
  • China and Russia have often projected BRICS as a counterweight to the Western-led international order, leading to the perception of the grouping as an “anti-West” platform.
  • India, however, views BRICS differently.

“Anti-West” versus “Non-Western”

  • India sees BRICS as a “non-western” platform, rather than an anti-western alliance.
  • India supports multipolarity, reform of global institutions and greater representation for developing countries, but does not seek to define its foreign policy in opposition to Western countries.
  • India’s strong partnerships with the United States, Europe, Australia and other Western countries remain important for technology, investment, markets and defence cooperation.
  • Therefore, India’s participation in BRICS complements rather than replaces its wider international partnerships.
  • This reflects India’s policy of multi-alignment and strategic autonomy.
BRICS and India’s Multi-Alignment Strategy
  • India simultaneously engages with different platforms and countries according to its national interests.
  • Its participation in BRICS, Quad, G20 and SCO, along with partnerships with the United States, Europe, Russia and countries in West Asia, reflects this approach.

Opportunities

  • BRICS also provides India with opportunities to cooperate with emerging economies on development finance, energy security, technology, critical minerals, climate action, sustainable development, supply-chain resilience, reform of global governance institutions and giving greater representation to the Global South.
  • For India, the key test will be whether BRICS can remain focused on such practical areas of cooperation without turning into a rigid geopolitical bloc.
Challenges before BRICS

Despite its potential, BRICS faces several challenges,

  • Divergent national and strategic interests among members.
  • India-China border tensions
  • China’s dominant economic position
  • Different approaches  towards the West
  • Difficulties in achieving consensus after expansion
  • Geopolitical conflicts in Europe and West Asia.

These differences make economic cooperation easier than developing a common geopolitical position.

Way Forward and Conclusion

BRICS must focus on practical cooperation, development and Global South interests despite differences among its members. For India, the challenge is to engage China while protecting its security interests and strategic autonomy.

Ultimately, the future of BRICS will depend on whether India and China can manage their bilateral differences without allowing them to disrupt wider multilateral cooperation.

UPSC Prelims and Mains Practice Question

With reference to BRICS and India’s approach towards the grouping, consider the following statements:

  1. India views BRICS as a platform for strategic cooperation and multipolarity rather than an alliance directed against the West.
  2. The unresolved India–China border dispute has no impact on cooperation between the two countries in multilateral forums.
  3. India’s participation in BRICS is consistent with its broader policy of strategic autonomy and multi-alignment.

Which of the statements given above are correct?

(a) 1 and 3 only
(b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 1 and 2 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3

Answer: (a)

Mains Practice Question

Q) The future effectiveness of BRICS will depend on its ability to accommodate divergent geopolitical interests while promoting cooperation among emerging economies. Discuss in the context of recent developments in India-China relations. (250 words)

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