Chinese and Indian Strategic Behavior: Growing Power and Alarm

In this volume, Gilboy and Heginbotham offer an excellent and original comparison of Chinese and Indian strategic behavior. The main point that the authors make is that though in the United States China and India are seen as very different actors - primarily because India is democratic and China is not - in reality their foreign policies are quite similar. Both are suspicious of US hegemonic designs. Both are highly critical of outside powers intervention in the domestic affairs of other countries. They share similar views on global warming (the West should pay for the costs of reducing emissions) and many international trade issues. And both countries have adopted offensive military force postures and military doctrines, allowing them to put considerable coercive pressure on their neighbors. Behind this convergence of foreign policy approaches is their common status as rising regional powers as well as a tough nosed, Realpolitik approach to foreign affairs on the part of their strategic elites. In short, geo-strategic location trumps any differences in political ideology and democratic traditions.At times, it seems that Heginbotham and Gilboy may go too far in stressing the similarities between China and India. After all, China on the whole appears to be far more assertive on territorial issues than is India, and it fits in more poorly with the existing global international order that was created by the United States and its allies in the wake of World War II. Moreover their characterization of strategic culture arguments is a bit simplistic and seems something of a straw man.Nonetheless, the overall thrust of their arguments is highly persuasive, and backed with a wealth of empirical material. There is much that even seasoned strategic analysts will find of interest in this volume, and it serves as a both useful and important corrective on the view (popular in some quarters in Washngton and eslewhere) that India can somehow be relied on a counterbalance to China. The reality is both far more complex and more interesting, as Gilboy and Heginbotham demonstrate in this excellent and highly informative volume.

I've read work by these authors before, as always highly informative and written in a clear non-pedantic manner. Reads like an extended Foreign Policy expose. Well recommended

Good

Not worth the time. Superficial analysis.