This episode discusses Sino-Indian relations and the recent escalation in tensions between the two nations that began on June 16th with the unprecedented intervention of Indian troops intervening on behalf of Bhutan in the disputed Doklam plateau. Our guest, Jeff Smith, joins us to discuss the Doklam standoff as well as Sino-Indian ties more broadly. This episode explores the interests of each of the three states involved, assesses the likelihood of open conflict, and compares this crisis with previous standoffs between India and China. The episode closes with a look at the role of the United States in the standoff.
Jeff Smith is the Director of Asian Security Programs and the Kramer Strategy Fellow at the American Foreign Policy Council. He is the author of Cold Peace: China China-India Rivalry in the Twenty-First Century (2014) and the co-editor of the World Almanac of Islamism 2014 (2014).