Two ancient civilizations, two modern journeys
On Aug 15, India marked 79 years as an independent modern nation. A moment not only for national reflection, but also for revisiting the extraordinary and parallel journeys of two of the world's oldest continuous civilizations. India and China both began their modern nation-building endeavors within years of one another in the mid-20th century. As we mark this milestone, it is worth pausing to consider what our two ancient societies have built, what we have learned from one another, and what possibilities lie ahead as both nations continue to rise.
Long before the modern age, India and China were already connected, through the movement of ideas, trade and scholarship. With contact over the ages came understanding and the mutuality of benefit: philosophy, medicine, astronomy. Even everyday goods such as sugar, spices, paper and ink traveled across these ancient networks, creating new bridges of contact between our peoples. That tradition of learning from each other's civilizations continued through the 19th and early 20th centuries, as we made our respective journeys toward national liberation and freedom.
When India gained independence in 1947, it inherited a society scarred by the trauma of Partition and colonial exploitation. Some 90 percent of India's 340 million people at the time lived below the poverty line, literacy stood under 16 percent, and life expectancy was around 31 years. Even in that adversity, India's founders chose a path grounded in constitutional democracy and pluralism for all citizens, regardless of race, religion or gender, and thereby becoming among the first post-colonial nations to adopt universal adult suffrage. In many ways, this was a continuation of our civilizational democratic ethos. And unlike most other countries that chose such a path after becoming prosperous societies, we did so in the most challenging conditions. China, too, has undertaken a remarkable transformation over a comparable period, lifting hundreds of millions out of poverty. While our developmental paths have differed, both our nations have shared a common conviction that the well-being of our people must remain at the heart of nation-building, and that it is for the people of each nation to decide on the system that best suits their circumstances.
Today, like China, India is a country of rapid transformation. India is among the fastest-growing major economies in the world, sustaining growth of around 7 percent. This transformation has also been underpinned by political stability and a growing degree of policy continuity, providing greater predictability for businesses and investors.
Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in a decade, among the more remarkable achievements of India are the facts that electricity has reached 100 percent of rural and urban India, and that the proportion of Indians with bank accounts has risen from around 40 to over 80 percent. Today, India records the world's largest number of fintech transactions, over 130 billion a year, across interoperable payment platforms that, much as in China, have all but obviated the need for cash. India is also a space-capable nation with end-to-end launch capability, the world's second-largest smartphone market, and among the fastest-growing populations of internet users, at some of the lowest data costs anywhere.
This dynamism is carried forward by the world's largest youthful workforce, with several hundred million Indians under the age of 30, and by a vibrant startup and innovation ecosystem.
As two of the world's most populous emerging economies, a stable, predictable and amicable relationship between India and China is not only in the interest of our 2.8 billion people, but is also a significant factor for peace, stability and prosperity in Asia and the wider world. As Asia and the wider international landscape become increasingly multipolar, India and China both have a stake in ensuring that global governance structures evolve to reflect the aspirations and interests of the developing world.
This shared interest finds concrete expression in platforms such as BRICS, which is an important voice for emerging economies on issues ranging from sustainable development and financial architecture to technology cooperation and people-centric growth. As we look toward the upcoming BRICS Summit hosted by India, there is a valuable opportunity to deepen India-China cooperation on issues of mutual concern, from trade and investment to climate action, public health and the digital economy, while contributing constructively to a more balanced, inclusive and equitable global order.
Last year, President Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Narendra Modi agreed that India and China are cooperation partners who are each other's development opportunities. This perspective is in keeping with the long history of mutually beneficial contact between our two civilizations. Maintaining peace and tranquility in the India-China border areas is vital to building this partnership. We must build on that foundation, guided by mutual respect, mutual sensitivity and mutual interest, while ensuring that differences, which are natural between nations, do not become disputes. In doing so, our partnership can contribute to the well-being of our two peoples and to a more stable, peaceful and prosperous world.
The author is India's ambassador to the People's Republic of China.
The views expressed are personal and don't necessarily represent those of China Daily.
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