India–Xinjiang Historico-cultural Linkages
| Published date | 01 January 2017 |
| Date | 01 January 2017 |
| DOI | 10.1177/0020881718780068 |
| Author | Mahesh Ranjan Debata |
| Subject Matter | Articles |
India–Xinjiang Historico-
cultural Linkages
Mahesh Ranjan Debata1
Abstract
India’s Xinjiang connection is age old. Since the first century bc, linkage between
the two regions has been established through historical, sociocultural and
economic relations and mutual exchanges. However, with the establishment of
People’s Republic of China in 1949 and incorporation of Xinjiang as one of the
Chinese provinces, this linkage met an obvious end. Now with the end of Cold
War in 1991 following the disintegration of former Soviet Union and emergence
of five independent republics of Central Asia and the endeavours to revive the
Silk Route, there has emerged a glimmer of hope for the renewal of relationship
between strategically located Central Asia, Xinjiang and India. In this context, this
article discusses the 2500-year-old India–Xinjiang historico-cultural cooperation
and believes that perhaps it could act as a catalyst in promoting and strengthening
overall relationship between India and China.
Keywords
India, Xinjiang, Buddhism, Kashmir, belt and road initiative
Introduction
India’s civilizational linkage with China’s Xinjiang region, which began with
regular contacts between traders/merchants from India’s Ladakh and Kashmir
regions and Xinjiang’s southern and south-eastern parts, ushered in a new era with
the introduction and spread of Buddhism by Indian monks and scholars. The
foundation stone of India’s historical and cultural linkages with Xinjiang was laid
by the Silk Route land trade. The ancient Silk Route helped in integrating the
unique cultural heritage of India and Xinjiang and promoted the exchange of idea
and intellect, and most importantly, trade and commerce. Almost half of the fabled
Article
International Studies
54(1–4) 218–230
2018 Jawaharlal Nehru University
SAGE Publications
sagepub.in/home.nav
DOI: 10.1177/0020881718780068
http://journals.sagepub.com/home/isq
1 Director, UGC Area Studies Programme, Centre for Inner Asian Studies, School of International
Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, India.
Corresponding author:
Mahesh Ranjan Debata, UGC Area Studies Programme, Centre for Inner Asian Studies, School of
International Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, India.
E-mail: maxeew@gmail.com
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