| Introduction: Give a brief context of the relationship. Body: Briefly describe the historical relationship between India and Taiwan including military and economic cooperation. Conclusion: Way forward. |
The formal name for Taiwan is the Republic of China (ROC), and historically, relations between India and Taiwan have been complicated and multidimensional, defined by a careful balancing act between political considerations, economic interests, and diplomatic pragmatism.
Historical relationship between India and Taiwan:
- Relation during WWII: The relations can be traced back to the deployment of the 100,000-strong Chinese Expeditionary Force (CEF) for the defence of Burma after which a centre for military training was opened in Ramgarh (India) which was visited by Chiang Kai-shek. The visit marked solidarity with India in its fight against Japanese aggression & extended support for India’s freedom struggle. India initially recognized the ROC as the legitimate government of China
- Post 1949 Revolution: Post India’s independence and Chinese revolution there was a shift in India’s policy & India was one of the first Asian countries to recognise the People’s Republic of China (PRC under Communist Party) and its One China
- Normalization of relations: Post 1991 both nations established representative offices in Taipei and New Delhi. The two establishments have played a significant role in improving people-to-people contacts and in the expansion of cultural, economic, and political relations.
Strategic interest between India & Taiwan:
- Geo-strategic cooperation: While overt military intelligence cooperation is not possible due to diplomatic constraints, both countries are concerned about regional stability in South Asia as well as Taiwan Strait.
- Convergence of policies: There is room for convergence between Taiwan’s New Southbound Policy, which seeks to strengthen cooperation and exchange between Taiwan and 18 countries in Southeast Asia, South Asia, and Australasia, and the Indian government’s Act East policy, which promotes closer economic, strategic, and diplomatic engagement with nations in the Indo-Pacific.
- Emerging and critical technologies: Both nations are actively seeking to expand the relations in areas of emerging and critical technologies including manufacturing of semiconductors and electronics equipment. Taiwanese companies are looking to relocate their manufacturing bases to India to bring down their exposure to the Chinese market, allowing Indians to upgrade their skills to meet the needs of the semiconductor industry. Eg, Taiwan-based Foxconn, which is Apple’s largest supplier, has an iPhone manufacturing facility in Tamil Nadu. India’s strength in software capabilities & Taiwan’s in hardware and manufacturing in the ICT sector could be a big boost to India’s flagship schemes like Make in India.
Conclusion:
India should engage with like-minded countries like ASEAN in establishing relations with Taiwan while maintaining its One China principle. Taiwan should be accepted as a part of the wider Indo-Pacific region towards ensuring a rules-based order in the Indo-Pacific.
