There was a time when the troubled Sino-Indian relationship appeared to be the dominant feature of China's presence in the Subcontinent. The tussle between India and the People's Republic went beyond bilateral affairs, to shape the direction of China's engagement with the rest of Southasia as well. Wary of Beijing's intentions, New Delhi has always been watchful of China's relationships with the smaller neighbours, which further intensified mistrust between the two Asian giants.
The noticeable improvement in the Sino-Indian relationship today stands in sharp contrast to India's dealings with its regional neighbours, which tend to be problem-prone and crisis-ridden. For the first time since 1962, a state of affairs currently prevails such that the India-China bond generates greater optimism than the Southasian relationships.
Indeed, Sino-Indian relations are on the upswing in all spheres – political, economic and cultural. The once-intractable border now appears less formidable as a barrier to improved relations, and the two capitals have managed to overcome the diplomatic difficulties that surfaced in the wake of Pokhran II. Controversial issues remain, including misgivings about China's strategic objectives, especially with regard to its military ties with Pakistan, and yet a framework and mechanism for dealing with problems is in place and appears to be working. There is now ongoing dialogue at various levels.
But it is too early to describe the Sino-Indian relationship as vibrant. Today, it can be likened to an inverted pyramid: the broadest level of interaction is at the top, among a host of senior politicians, officials and members of government-sponsored delegations. The next level is made up of a few members of academia, media and think tanks, engaged in formulating a broader framework for collaboration and research. It is at the people-to-people level that the relationship is at its narrowest, with interactions between India and China virtually non-existent.