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WHAT STEPS CAN BE TAKEN TO FURTHER DEEPEN INDIA TAIWAN RELATIONSHIP?
Strengthen bilateral ties and expand cooperation in culture, education, science and technology, and development assistance. Link the Act East Policy and the New Southbound Policy to enhance cooperation.
Engaging Taiwan through informal and formal regional platforms, as seen in Japan's security dialogue with Taiwan's DPP. Replicate this political engagement, as governments are not directly involved.
Taiwan should be accepted as part of the wider IndoPacific region, as both democracies share common interests and concerns.
The Taiwanese Government has been requesting the Government to permit them to set up an office of the Taipei Economic & Cultural Centre (TECC) in Mumbai. This should be promptly granted as it would help in boosting Taiwanese investments in India.
India should institutionalize the process of sending Parliamentary delegations to Taiwan, strengthening political ties.
If China remains unwilling to reconsider its stance on India's border issues and sovereignty concerns, India should consider using all options, including its relations with Taiwan.
India should also join the G-7 in supporting Taiwan's observer status in technocratic international bodies.
CONCLUSION
The India-Taiwan relationship has been hindered by China's influence, but policy experts argue for stronger ties, particularly in the semiconductor chip supply chains. India has significant benefits from Taiwan's strategic partnership in multiple domains. Commentators commend India's foreign policy for not succumbing to Western pressures, suggesting it should extend this approach to protect its strategic interests
INTRODUCTION
Chiang Kai-shek, founder of Taiwan, had a warm relationship with Indian leaders, particularly Gandhiji and Pt. Nehru, during the pre-Indian Independence era.
After India's Independence in 1947, the two countries established embassies. However, after China's Communist takeover in 1949 and the establishment of the Republic of China (ROC) in Taiwan, India changed its policy and recognized the People's Republic of China (PRC) and its One China principle, causing a deep freeze on the IndianTaiwan relationship during the Cold War era.
The Taiwan-India relationship has seen significant progress since the Indian government's "Look East Policy" in 1991.
The two countries established representative offices in each other's capitals in 1995, including the Taipei Economic and Cultural Center in India (TECC) for Taiwan in New Delhi and the India-Taipei Association (ITA) for India in Taipei.
Since 2010, India has not officially mentioned support for the One-China policy in its joint communique, even during the China-Taiwan Crisis. However, India and Taiwan have institutionalized their relations to boost bilateral exchanges.
The relationship has been further enhanced by signing the "Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement" and "Customs Mutual Assistance Agreement" in July 2011, and the "ATA Carnet Protocol" in March 2013.
The TECC established a second office in Chennai in 2012, and the Taiwan External Trade Development Council (TAITRA) opened branch offices in Delhi, Chennai, Kolkata, and Mumbai.
In 2014, Taiwanese Parliamentarians visited New Delhi, and in 2015, the Indian government included Taiwan nationals in the list of e-Tourism visa-on-arrival (eTV).
In December 2015, TECC Representative Ambassador Tien Chung-Kwang and ITA Director General Manish Chauhan jointly signed the "Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on Small and Medium Sized Enterprises."
In 2016, the India-Taiwan Parliamentary Friendship Forum was established, involving regular visits by Parliamentarians to the other country.
In 2018, Taiwan created the Taiwan Tourism Information Center in Mumbai to enhance people-to-people interactions.
Still, India is among the 179 of the 193 member states of the UN that do not maintain formal diplomatic ties with Taiwan. India Taiwan relations picked up the momentum due to the New Southbound Policy initiated in 2016 by Taiwanese President Tsai.
The Taiwan government promotes the "New Southbound Policy," assisting businesses in diversifying their presence overseas. India, benefiting from a demographic dividend and robust domestic market demand, is considered a crucial partner country under the New Southbound
Policy.
The Taiwan-India Economic Consultation aims to further deepen economic and trade relations between Taiwan and India, focusing on economic and trade development, investment, industrial cooperation, and talent exchange.
THE SIGNIFICANCE OF BILATERAL RELATIONSHIPS
Increased collaboration between Taiwan and India may be essential to supporting New Delhi and Taipei succeeds in both its domestic economic objectives and its regional strategic aspirations.
Trade, Commerce and Investment Relationships
The total amount of bilateral trade between Taiwan and India reached about USD 12.514 billion in 2025, a new historical record and a 17.95% rise from USD 10.609 billion in 2024. The fifteenth-largest trading partner of Taiwan is India.
With USD 9.212 billion in exports, a 16.74% increase, India is now Taiwan's eleventh-largest export market.
With USD 3.302 billion in imports—a 21.46% increase— India is Taiwan's 21st-largest import source
Cultural
Taiwan is enhancing cultural ties with India's Northeastern region by leveraging its tea culture as a soft power diplomacy.
Since 2004, Taiwan has offered scholarships to Indian students studying in Taiwan.
In 2018, India hosted the first Taiwan Film Festival to promote Taiwanese culture.
In 2022, the Dance Troupe from National Dong Hwa University attended an international folk culture event in Madhya Pradesh, Taiwanese immigrant Martin Musa Musaubach performed fusion music at IIT Mumbai, and a post-pandemic Taiwan Film Festival was successfully organized in December, 2022.
However, the number of Indian tourists to Taiwan remains around 40,000 annually, and Taiwanese tourists to India are fewer. The absence of an Indian overseas tourism office in Taipei is a major issue.
Education Cooperation
Over 500 Indian students have benefited from scholarships offered by the Taiwanese government over the past decade. Currently, there are 100,000 foreign students studying in Taiwan, with 3,000 from India.
The Foundation for International Cooperation in Higher Education of Taiwan signed an MOU with the Association of Indian Universities in 2019, allowing greater research collaboration and exchanges between universities.
There are 31 Taiwan Education Centers (TECs) in India, teaching Mandarin and providing Mandarin courses for senior Indian officials, tourism promoters, and employees working for Taiwan enterprises in India. Science and Technology Cooperation
The MOU on Scientific and Technological Cooperation was signed between TECC and ITA in 2007.
As of January 2023, 115 projects and joint proposals have been carried out, with 25 bilateral seminars.
The cooperation covers various fields, including agricultural and food science, sustainable energy, healthcare, earth, atmosphere, and ocean sciences, disaster management, digital technology, and cloud computing.
Strategic interests
Taiwan and India share common values and do not have significant disagreements. Both are equally concerned about China's growing assertiveness in the region, particularly in terms of strategic security.
Taiwan’s understanding of China’s strategic depth is informed by its geographical proximity to China, as well as shared cultural and linguistic ties. Gaining deeper insight into Taiwan's strategic thinking would offer valuable perspectives for Beijing.
China presents a strategic security threat to both nations. While India faces a long-standing territorial dispute with China, experts believe Beijing might use military force to annex Taiwan if its "one-China policy" is challenged, viewing Taiwan as a breakaway province.
Both Taiwan and India share a common interest in preventing China from asserting dominance over the South China Sea.
For Taiwan, this dynamic helps reinforce its identity as an independent state, while India can safeguard its freedom of navigation in the South China Sea, a crucial route for 50% of its trade.
Additionally, India stands to benefit by expanding its oil and gas exploration activities in the region.
CHALLENGES IN INDIA TAIWAN RELATIONSHIP
India-Taiwan relations have been hindered by China's aggressive stance, with India not supporting Taiwan at an international level, such as observing Taiwan's bid for Observer status in bodies like the WHO.
Additionally, India has not formally recognized Taiwan, limiting cooperation in strategic, military, and economic spheres, and restricting ministry-level agreements and educational exchanges, leaving potential ties unrealized.
The India-Taiwan relationship has been hindered by external uncertainties, lack of a long-term strategic vision, and limited trade and investment.
Economic cooperation and investments have also been limited by factors like insufficient understanding of domestic markets, corruption, tax regulations, and linguistic barriers.