The complexity of the relationship and the differences between the two countries should not deter future engagement. Neither country can choose its neighbours. China is the world’s second-largest economy and military power.
Dec 21, 2024 07:15 IST First published on: Dec 21, 2024 at 07:15 IST
The outcome of the first formal meeting between the Special Representatives (SRs) of India and China in five years is cause for cautious optimism over a thaw in bilateral ties. Building on the momentum of the talks between Chinese President Xi Jinping and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the sidelines of the BRICS summit in Kazan, Russia, in October, the SRs announced confidence-building measures (CBMs) that seek to restore a degree of normalcy in ties after a prolonged military stand-off. While NSA Ajit Doval and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi have interacted in the last half-decade, these meetings were under the shadow of China’s expansionist moves along the Line of Actual Control. The People’s Liberation Army’s (PLA’s) aggression vis-a-vis India was of a piece with its actions in the South China Sea, East Asia and the broader Indo-Pacific, which led to strategic and diplomatic pressure from the US and several middle powers. The restoration of the Kailash-Mansoravar Yatra, trade at Nathula and data sharing on trans-border rivers must be viewed in this context: These CBMs are an incremental step, an attempt to find common ground between the two countries.
The respective statements after the meeting frame the fundamental differences between Delhi and Beijing. For India, a settled border, free of conflict, is the priority while Beijing seems to be looking at fewer restrictions vis-a-vis the large Indian market, and other economic opportunities. While the Indian Foreign Ministry stressed the need for “peace and tranquillity” on the border as fundamental to the deepening of bilateral ties, Beijing sought to view the border as a part of the broader relationship. The fact remains that China’s violations in the Ladakh sector beginning in 2020 have eroded trust and undermined earlier pacts and mechanisms, notably the 2005 Agreement, which finds a mention in the Chinese statement. The Indian side’s emphasis on the need for a “framework” on the boundary question must be viewed in this context. The CBMs are a beginning, a gesture of goodwill ahead of the more difficult task of de-escalation and de-induction along the LAC. The task will be challenging, given that the People’s Liberation Army has reportedly built military infrastructure in border areas.
The complexity of the relationship and the differences between the two countries should not deter future engagement. Neither country can choose its neighbours. China is the world’s second-largest economy and military power. India, too, has been rising on the global stage and has become a formidable economic power. Both Delhi and Beijing have much to gain from more stable ties. The hurdles can be overcome if China and India find better ways to relate to each other. The CBMs announced by the SRs do send out the message that the two countries seem willing to make an attempt in that direction. The neighbours now have to lay the foundation to resolve the fundamental issues that have plagued their relationship. That might be a painstaking task. It will require patient diplomacy, but it cannot be delayed.
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