The Front Row Podcast #52- Tansen Sen : India and China in a Multipolar World: Can their Golden Age Return?
5 snips
Sep 1, 2025 Join Tansen Sen, a historian specializing in India-China relations, as he dives into the complexities of these two ancient civilizations. He discusses how Buddhism was integrated into Chinese culture and the historical significance of Nalanda University as a learning hub. Tansen explores the enduring impacts of colonialism on their relationship, emphasizing the importance of cultural exchanges for fostering cooperation. Delving into the past, he also highlights the interconnectedness of India and China and the challenges they face as major global powers today.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Why India–China Relations Matter
- India-China relations matter regionally after US-China ties because they shape Asian security and economics.
- Military confrontations and nuclear status make their bilateral relationship globally significant.
Pre-Modern Networks Over Nation-States
- Pre-modern interactions cannot be read through modern nation-state lenses because actors were dynastic or regional.
- Connectivity was multi-scalar: sub-regional actors and trans-regional networks shaped exchanges.
Xuanzang’s Journey To Nalanda
- Xuanzang made an arduous 7th-century pilgrimage over deserts and mountains to study at Nalanda.
- He studied Yogacharya Buddhism and then acted as a diplomat between the Tang emperor and Indian ruler Harshavardhana.