Rising India and China.

Strategic Rivalry in the Himalayas and the Indo-Pacific, Volume 1

ISBN: 9789819791897

Author: B. R. Deepak

Publisher: Palgrave MacMillian

Reviewed by: Elizabeth Sotelo

University of Arkansas at Little Rock

Upon the establishment of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) by Mao Zedong on October 1, 1949, endeavors for expansion were forged. Volume 1 of the book, Rising India and China: Strategic Rivalry in the Himalayas and the Indo-Pacific (2025), details the events that unfolded in two particularly significant territories as the new empire was strengthening: Tibet and the Sino-Indian border. Both areas, precisely, experienced tensions amplified by their in-between geographical locations.

The book expands on the complexities experienced by Tibet throughout its history, which was influenced by both India and China. Tibet experienced cross-cultural currents that infiltrated ideas, culture, people, technologies, and commodities. Despite having no access to the deep, the region was not isolated but a space of constant movement due to its position as a cultural crossroad. However, it was at the beginning of the twentieth century that Tibet began to fragment internally and was diplomatically isolated, which facilitated its possession by Mao’s regime.

Rising India and China stands out for its abundance of data and exhaustive details that illuminate each of the internal and international attempts made by the Tibetans to prevent China from militarily intervening. Nonetheless, “After being dumped by the UK, India, and subsequently by the UN, Tibet was left with only one option—to negotiate with China on Chinese terms” (Deepak 164). As part of an expansionist and strategic policy, the 17-Point Agreement was signed by Tibet, thus ceding control to China. In this sense, the book weaves together significant aspects by presenting multiple perspectives, from both regional and global points of view. This symmetrical technique is what allows the reader to reinterpret and form an opiniated view of the events that led to the takeover of Tibet.

Deepak articulates history with a solid contextualization and does so with a comprehensible prose. It is through this approach that he interweaves smoothly what happened on the Sino-Indian border. At its beginning, China consolidated its dominance by increasing defenses and constructing roads throughout the border. The Chinese expansionist project is one that is still ongoing, as there are areas between India and China that have been disputed from 1957 to the present day. This dispute resulted in the Sino-Indian War of 1962 and casualties continued to occur even after. The ongoing conflict between both countries, and the current possession of Tibet by China, demonstrate how past events remain relevant to the present.

The rigorous documentation throughout the book allows the reader to observe how a sovereignty caused social, cultural, and political tensions shortly after its installation, which are still occurring. Tibet remains isolated in the international eye and China continues to dispute a border. What is written invites the reader to understand and debate by questioning these continuities that have been extending for more than half a century. In this sense, Rising India and China is a contribution and a reference in the fields of Asian studies, border studies, and international relations, and it would appeal to cultural academics, historians, and policy analysts.