When one looks at the India-China tussle in South Asia, it is tough to ignore the dimension of ‘Soft Power’. There is no doubt whatsoever that China’s economic clout and presence in the region have risen in recent decades. In terms of Soft Power, India has an overwhelming edge even though China has tried to make inroads in various ways. Soft Power includes not just the cultural linkages, but India’s emphasis on assistance in capacity building and the nature of its economic linkages – which despite political differences – is qualitatively different from that of Beijing.