Unified Plains, Fractured Peaks: The Story of China and India,

In Unified Plains, Fractured Peaks: The Story of China and India, we’ve seen how geological and climatic foundations set China and India on divergent paths — China’s stable plains fostering continuity, and India’s fractured peaks leading to disintegration. This chapter explores how these foundations influenced their historical trajectories, from early civilizations to the colonial era. China’s centralized unity, rooted in its homogeneous geography, contrasts with India’s fragmented diversity, shaped by its varied terrain, creating patterns that persist into their modern economic outcomes: China’s industrialization (31% of GDP, 2024, Statista, 2024) versus India’s lag (13% of GDP, 2024, World Bank, 2024).