China - India cultural interaction: The competition of “soft powers”?

Abstract

The paper analyses how the People’s Republic of China and the Republic of India develop such area of bilateral relations as cultural exchanges at the current stage. The authors trace the two countries’ interaction during five consecutive years: 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2021 (that means, there are displayed both the relations before the COVID-19 pandemic and the interaction in current conditions. At the same time, it is the opportunity to take a glance at the cultural exchanges between the states during different stages of their relationship: both in the times of its deterioration and normalization). The types of exchanges, which have been studied, include the weeks of culture, the year of cultural exchanges, the organisation of exhibitions, festivals, movie demonstrations, concerts, musical tours, master classes of yoga, meetings of artists, visits of youth delegations, cultural forums, dialog between the ministries of culture, and regular small-scale events at embassies and consulates. As a result of the study, the specific features of bilateral cultural exchanges are outlined. The authors conclude that by means of this area of relations both China and India pursue a broader set of goals, than just to secure the conditions of peaceful coexistence and to improve mutual understanding between the nations. The case is that for both countries, competing for leadership in Asia, cultural interaction is another ground for rivalry, this time in struggling for minds and hearts of people, and a tool for improving their images in order to achieve a better position in the relationship in future.