Chinese scholarship on India faces growing criticism for its superficiality, hubris, and deep-seated historical biases, despite Beijing’s strategic efforts to expand its academic expertise on its neighbour.
Since the Ministry of Education elevated area studies to a first-level discipline in 2022, Chinese universities have created interdisciplinary departments to analyse key global regions. However, as Chinese President Xi Jinping attended the BRICS summit hosted by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Delhi on September 12–13 analysts highlight severe analytical shortcomings within Beijing's academic community.
In a landmark survey published last year, Lin Minwang of Fudan University and Mao Keji of Tsinghua University noted that much of China’s contemporary research lacks depth, historical perspective, and intellectual grounding. Political scientist Raj Verma similarly observed that while older Chinese scholars remain sensible, younger researchers demonstrate aggressive and dismissive attitudes towards India. Access restrictions severely hamper scholarly progress.
Following the deadly 2020 border clash in Ladakh, Beijing’s researchers were barred from obtaining Indian visas, though a recent diplomatic thaw may soon ease travel constraints. Yet, broader systemic issues persist beyond physical barriers. Since the late Qing era, Chinese elites have viewed India condescendingly over its lengthy colonial history and non-violent independence struggle.
Today, researchers often perceive India’s democracy as an economic vulnerability and dismiss its geopolitical ambitions due to disparities in wealth and military power. Furthermore, Indian journalists such as Ananth Krishnan highlight a total lack of introspection in Beijing, where scholars routinely attribute all bilateral friction entirely to Indian insecurity. Without genuine humility and open-mindedness, China's understanding of its crucial neighbour remains fundamentally flawed.