COVID-19: Redefining India-China Bilateral Relations

Abstract

In a bid to protect their national interest, every nation looks to strike a chord with other nations while maintaining commiserate prominence on a global scale. However, certain events could sway the direction in which international relations tilt at certain points in time. For instance, the COVID-19 pandemic has globally shifted and reshaped the various spheres of human life and activities. The pandemic gave rise to fears across the world and increased acts of hostility toward nations worldwide, in a bid to cater to and uphold their national interests, which they often achieve at the detriment of others. Specifically, China has been at the forefront of hostility or pressure, since the coronavirus originated there. Focusing on the Sino–Indian relationship, the rapid boom of Sino-Indian bilateral trade at the beginning of the 21st century propelled China to become India’s biggest trade partner, a position it held from 2008 to 2019, before tensions arose between both nations. This study aims at examining the present state of Sino–Indian relations and reviews the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on this relationship. To appropriately fulfill the objective of the study, an exploratory design was adopted. The study concludes that the COVID-19 pandemic has caused a disruption in every facet of human life and has created uncertainty about what the future holds for certain sects, organizations,and even nations—based on this, international relationships amongst nations may be affected negatively or positively depending on how governments and world bodies manage and respond to the situation.