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  • © 2019

China’s Achilles’ Heel

The Belt and Road Initiative and Its Indian Discontents

Palgrave Macmillan
  • Analyses Chinese discourse on Indian attitudes towards the Belt & Road Initiative (BRI)

  • Argues that the Indian discourse is becoming one of the biggest hurdles to China creating its own narrative about its rise

  • Spans across the themes of the power struggle between China and US and China and India

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Table of contents (8 chapters)

  1. Front Matter

    Pages i-xi
  2. Introduction: The BRI as Strategic Camouflage

    • Srikanth Thaliyakkattil
    Pages 1-35
  3. The Road to the Belt and the Road

    • Srikanth Thaliyakkattil
    Pages 37-75
  4. The BRI and Its Different Manifestations

    • Srikanth Thaliyakkattil
    Pages 77-112
  5. India May Join and Benefit from the BRI: A Chinese View

    • Srikanth Thaliyakkattil
    Pages 113-138
  6. India as Jealous Foe and the BRI

    • Srikanth Thaliyakkattil
    Pages 165-194
  7. Belt and Road vs the Indo-Pacific

    • Srikanth Thaliyakkattil
    Pages 195-234
  8. Conclusion: The Way to War

    • Srikanth Thaliyakkattil
    Pages 235-248
  9. Back Matter

    Pages 249-257

About this book

This book analyses Chinese discourse on Indian attitudes towards the Belt & Road Initiative (BRI), and argues that the Indian discourse is becoming one of the biggest hurdles to China creating its own narrative about China’s rise in Asia and beyond. In doing so, it spans across the themes of the power struggle between China and US, China and India, the Chinese perception of India, China-South Asia relations, the China-US- India strategic triangle and the success and failures of BRI. 


The first part of the book focuses on the Chinese thinking behind the launch of the BRI and addresses questions related to the purpose of this initiative and ways in which it will facilitate China’s rise as a superpower. Subsequently the book addresses how effective or ineffective India’s challenge is and how it is negatively affecting China’s BRI. 





Authors and Affiliations

  • Independent Scholar, Kerala, India

    Srikanth Thaliyakkattil

About the author

Srikanth Thaliyakkattil is an independent scholar. He was previously a visiting research fellow at the Institute of South Asian Studies, National University of Singapore. He holds a PhD and Master’s degree in International Relations from Peking University, China. 



Bibliographic Information

  • Book Title: China’s Achilles’ Heel

  • Book Subtitle: The Belt and Road Initiative and Its Indian Discontents

  • Authors: Srikanth Thaliyakkattil

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-13-8425-7

  • Publisher: Palgrave Macmillan Singapore

  • eBook Packages: Economics and Finance, Economics and Finance (R0)

  • Copyright Information: The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd., part of Springer Nature 2019

  • Hardcover ISBN: 978-981-13-8424-0Published: 04 July 2019

  • Softcover ISBN: 978-981-13-8427-1Published: 14 August 2020

  • eBook ISBN: 978-981-13-8425-7Published: 24 June 2019

  • Edition Number: 1

  • Number of Pages: XI, 257

  • Topics: Asian Economics, Asian Politics, International Relations

Buy it now

Buying options

eBook USD 59.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book USD 79.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book USD 109.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Other ways to access