# Indian journalist shares decade-long Beijing experience in talk

2026-08-27T04:33:57+00:00 | World & Diplomacy | Indian Opinion Desk

Corroboration: 1 independent outlet

Pallavi Aiyar, journalist and author, discussed her experience living in China for nearly a decade during a session titled 'Know-Thy-Neighbour'. In conversation with Mani Shankar Aiyar and Suneet Aiyar, she offered insights into Chinese society, culture, and thinking from the perspective of an Indian. She spoke about what amazes, delights, and frustrates her about life in China. The talk was published by The Wire on August 26, 2026. Aiyar is a columnist for the outlet and has also written as a traveller and author. The session aimed to provide a nuanced understanding of a neighbour with whom India shares a complex relationship.

## Indian Opinion Analysis

Pallavi Aiyar's decade in Beijing offers a rare Indian perspective on a neighbour that remains opaque to most Indians despite the shared border. Her insights come at a time when bilateral ties are strained after the 2020 Galwan clash and subsequent military standoffs. She bridges the gap between policy-level friction and everyday life in China, something few Indian journalists have done at length. The conversation, moderated by veteran diplomat Mani Shankar Aiyar, also touches on how Chinese society views India, a subject of growing relevance as India-China trade surpasses $100 billion annually. What readers will find most useful is the lived experience of navigating a society where the state permeates daily life, something Indian diplomats and travellers rarely share publicly. The session signals a continuing hunger for direct, unvarnished accounts from inside China, especially as official communication channels remain limited.

## Coverage

- m.thewire.in <https://m.thewire.in/article/south-asia/watch-an-indian-in-beijing-pallavi-aiyar>
  Leads with Pallavi Aiyar's personal experience, no government slant

This brief was synthesised by AI from the source linked above.

Tags: Beijing, China, Mani Shankar Aiyar, Pallavi Aiyar
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