| Summary/Abstract |
Between the Lines: Indian Media’s China War is a quantitative and qualitative content analysis of the China coverage in India’s English-language press. The study identifies different kinds of adversarial and non-adversarial frames used in reporting China and classifies them according to their frequency of appearance. It examines the rhetoric and logic employed to activate the most common frames and puts them in the perspective of the politico-cultural predispositions that shape China-related news in India. Reviewing the content of two of India’s biggest selling newspapers, The Times of India (TOI) and the Hindustan Times (HT), in a 6-month period to determine the numerical spread of these frames, the study finds a generally conflictual tone of China coverage, with the dominant frames portraying China as a rival power inimical to India’s interests that needs to be resisted. With the Indian media as an example, this study offers a glimpse of China’s soft power deficit in a region where it is seeking to cement its leadership.
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