Fateful Triangle: How China Shaped U.S.-India Relations During the Cold War

by Tanvi Madan

Taking a long view of the three-party relationship, and its future prospects In this Asian century, scholars, officials and journalists are increasingly focused on the fate of the rivalry between China and India. They see the U.S. relationships with the two Asian giants as now intertwined, after having followed separate paths during the Cold War. In Fateful Triangle , Tanvi Madan argues that China's influence on the U.S.-India relationship is neither a recent nor a momentary phenomenon. Drawing on documents from India and the United States, she shows that American and Indian perceptions of and policy toward China significantly shaped U.S.-India relations in three crucial decades, from 1949 to 1979. Fateful Triangle updates our understanding of the diplomatic history of U.S.-India relations, highlighting China's central role in it, reassesses the origins and practice of Indian foreign policy and nonalignment, and provides historical context for the interactions between the three countries. Madan's assessment of this formative period in the triangular relationship is of more than historic interest. A key question today is whether the United States and India can, or should develop ever-closer ties as a way of countering China's desire to be the dominant power in the broader Asian region. Fateful Triangle argues that history shows such a partnership is neither inevitable nor impossible. A desire to offset China brought the two countries closer together in the past, and could do so again. A look to history, however, also shows that shared perceptions of an external threat from China are necessary, but insufficient, to bring India and the United States into a close and sustained that requires agreement on the nature and urgency of the threat, as well as how to approach the threat strategically, economically, and ideologically. With its long view, Fateful Triangle offers insights for both present and future policymakers as they tackle a fateful, and evolving, triangle that has regional and global implications.

Genres: Politics, China, International Relations, India, Nonfiction, History, World History

398 pages, Paperback

Published February 4, 2020

Reviews

[Rajiv Chopra · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Fateful Triangle" by Tanvi Madan is an excellent book. I believe she had to make some tradeoffs when writing this book. For instance, she does not pay much attention to the compulsions created by Pakistan and Russia, and how these two relationships have impacted India's relationship with the USA.

However, she has done an excellent job in detailing the history of Indo-US relationships. She divided this into four phases, and in each, she has demonstrated how our importance to the US has waxed and waned, as has their relationship with China. Our own lack of progress and inconsistency of thought has also impacted this.

What I like in the book, is that she lays out the narrative without taking a position on either side. Unlike most authors these days, she allows us to draw our own conclusions and encourages us to think.

She has walked a fine line, and she has walked it well.

The book has been impeccably researched. It is not simple reading, so read a chapter a day. If you have time, read one in the morning, and one in the afternoon! But do not read it continuously.

Read. Digest. Repeat the process.

[Shailender Arya · Rating 5 out of 5]

The relationship between US, China and India is likely to be the defining relationship of this century. However, the interactions between these three countries go back a long time with shifting perceptions, some prejudices, ideologically-driven foreign policy priorities and an ever-evolving balance of power. The book provides an excellent and well-researched historical context to these interactions. In many ways, these interactions shape the outlook and the relations even today.

There are views of diplomats, directions of leaders, world events, and some interesting anecdotes and observations - all impeccably researched, analyzed and put together in a chronological and interesting manner.

[Turgut · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a perfect book!