| dc.description.abstract | This article revisits Samuel Huntington’s Clash of Civilizations (CoC) theory to examine how
cultural and civilizational narratives shape the contemporary strategic rivalry between India
and China. While existing analyses largely emphasize military, economic, and geopolitical
competition, this study argues that the India - China relationship is also deeply influenced by
competing claims to civilizational identity, historical legacy, and regional leadership. Drawing
on secondary sources, including political speeches, policy documents, media discourse, and
academic literature, the article analyses how both states mobilize civilizational themes to
frame national resurgence, territorial claims, and foreign policy orientations. India’s self presentation as a Hindu civilizational state and China’s narrative of national rejuvenation
under the “Chinese Dream” reveal parallel attempts to assert cultural authority in Asia. The
article finds that although the CoC theory oversimplifies complex interstate dynamics, it offers
useful insights into how identity-based discourses reinforce tensions in the India - China
relationship. Ultimately, the study concludes that civilizational narratives function as a
complementary layer, rather than the primary driver of strategic competition, amplifying
mistrust and shaping the symbolic dimension of rivalry in the 21st-century Indo-Pacific. | en_US |
