'China, India, and the 'Maritime Silk Road': seeking a confluence'

In the coming years, the texture of China-India relations will be a crucial determinant of the geopolitical, economic and security environment of Asia, with a strong impact on the global order. Both countries have lately emerged as major economies. This has led to a dilation of their areas of maritime interest, and thereby a growing China-India interface at sea. This may be accompanied by both opportunities and challenges. Given the dynamism of recent developments, these need to be continually assessed and appraised as inputs for policy making. Among the most significant developments is China's 'Maritime Silk Road' (MSR) initiative. In context of this development, this paper attempts to examine the convergences and divergences between China and India. While the bilateral divergences may continue to persist, the paper attempts to assess whether the two countries could capitalize upon the convergences to seize the opportunities presented by the MSR, including in the area of shipbuilding.
Maritime Affairs: Journal of the National Maritime Foundation of India, vol. 11, issue 1, 2015 [...]