Indian Government's Decision Logic In The Sino-Indian Border Dispute

As the most important neighboring country in southwest China and the largest country in South Asia,India occupies an important position in China's peripheral diplomacy and peaceful rise.The boundary dispute between China and India has always been an important factor affecting the relations between the two countries.Although both parties are committed to properly resolving disputes,territorial disputes have not been fundamentally resolved.The confrontation between China and India in 2017 marked a serious impact on the border security,political trust,and regional stability of the two countries.How to effectively understand the Sino-Indian border dispute,resolve disputes between the two countries,and promote effective solutions between the two sides are problems that must be overcome in the further development of China-India relations.Using historical data and existing research results,this paper systematically reviews the history of the Sino-Indian border dispute before and after the founding of New China,and sorts out the origins and results of Sino-Indian War in 1962,Sino-Indian skirmish in 1987,and the Standoff at Doklam in 2017.The three major Sino-Indian disputes were all provoked by the Indian side,and they took the lead in retreating in the event of a crisis.This inconsistent attitude has undoubtedly increased the difficulties in solving the boundary issue.With the help of the analytic hierarchy process of international theories,this article will start from the individual level,the national level and the system level,and analyze the Indian government's policy decision logic in the Sino-Indian border dispute.Although the history and origin of the various border disputes have been different,the Indian government's border policy has always followed a consistent logic of decision-making.This article summarizes it as a"hierarchy-progressive relation" decision model,that is,with the development of border disputes along the lines of "dispute-negotiation or not-conquer or not-distortion outcome",the factors at different levels will progressively advance and jointly influence the direction of the border policy,and ultimately lead to confusion with China over the issue of disputes.Specifically,the attitude of the Indian government leaders toward China has determined that the border dispute has evolved into a bilateral or partial friction between the two countries.India's national strategic objectives determine whether the Indian government is willing to negotiate after the dispute has emerged.The relationship between the major countries determines India Whether or not to resort to conflict confrontation after a failed negotiation will be determined by the comparison of the strengths between the two countries.This "hierarchy-progressive relation"decision model constitutes the basic logic of India's policy decision-making on the border.Solving the problems left over by history requires diplomatic wisdom,strategic leadership and the evolution of the international environment.Judging from the decision logic of the Indian government on the border issue,the two countries still need to strengthen high-level dialogue and consultation between the two sides,enhance strategic cooperation,and maintain healthy competition.At the same time,China also needs to increase its overall strength,maintain its superior defense,establish a positive image of a big country,further increase its international influence,and work hard to build a new type of international cooperation that is "peaceful,cooperative,and mutually beneficial."...