The Sino-India arms race – can India close the gap in the maritime domain?

This article examines the dynamics of the ongoing Sino-India rivalry on the basis of arms race theories to explain how India, despite its weaker economic and military power relative to China, continues to maintain a robust position against Chinese aggression. The article argues that India, conscious of its power asymmetry with China, has adopted a policy of actively engaging with the United States and other partners to fill the gap in overall military capability, while maintaining credible force levels that could be scaled up in times of crisis.