A cordial exchange between the Indian prime minister and the new Taiwanese president sparked a strident protest from Beijing.
NEW DELHI—After being sworn in as India’s Prime Minister for a third consecutive time, Narendra Modi received congratulatory messages from a diverse array of world leaders around the globe.
However, one leader who stood out was Taiwan’s newly elected president, Lai Ching-te. In response to his message, Mr. Modi not only thanked Mr. Lai but reciprocated with a message highlighting the strengthening ties between China’s two frontline adversaries.
Geopolitical analysts told The Epoch Times the exchange of messages between the two leaders shows that India’s Act East policy—an initiative to promote economic, strategic, and cultural relations within the Asia-Pacific—is shaping up and now encompasses Taiwan. The cordial exchange also highlights strategic concerns shared by the two countries, and their mutual dependence for economic growth.
“India’s Act East policy is taking shape, while its definition and scope of ‘Indo-Pacific’ is broadening. New Delhi used to be focused on East Africa and up to the Malacca Strait. However, over the last few years, it has engaged in port calls in Philippines, PNG [Papua New Guinea] and actively pursued relations with Taiwan, thus expanding from Malacca Strait to Taiwan strait,” said Akhil Ramesh, a geo-political analyst who leads the India program at the Honolulu-based Pacific Forum.
Taiwan is currently recognized as a sovereign nation by only 12 nations. While India has not officially recognized Taiwan, diplomatic relations between the two countries have been on the rise, particularly after 2020’s bloody Galwan conflict caused Indo–China relations to plunge. Taiwan’s exports to India saw an increase of 13 percent last year. As of February 2024, nearly 200 Taiwanese businesses have made investments in India.
Ming-Shih Shen, director of national security research at Taipei’s Institute for National Defense and Security Research, told The Epoch Times in an email that the interaction between Mr. Lai and Mr. Modi on X is based on what they want from each other.
