A brisk diplomatic engagement has gained momentum between India and China over the past few months, following years of tension after their 2020 clashes in Galwan, in the Ladakh–Aksai Chin region.

Both sides are keen to repair contentious ties. Their stated objective is to resolve long-standing border disputes in Aksai Chin and Arunachal Pradesh. Yet, signals from both capitals indicate that the entente also reflects emerging strategic realignments: a rejection of bloc politics in Asia, a joint stance against punitive US tariffs and a renewed emphasis on boosting bilateral trade and investment.

This latest cycle of Sino-Indian diplomacy began with Indian Foreign Minister S Jaishankar’s trip to Beijing in July. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi conveyed to him that the China–India “relationship is not directed against any third party, nor should it be disrupted by any third party” – an oblique reference to the US.

During his subsequent visit to New Delhi, Wang Yi emphasised that China and India should regard one another as “partners”, not “adversaries or threats”. The Chinese ambassador in India went further, denouncing the 50 per cent tariffs imposed by Washington on Indian exports and calling the US a “bully”. He pledged that Beijing would support New Delhi at the WTO in upholding the multilateral trading system.

China now looks forward to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Tianjin for the SCO Summit and his bilateral meeting with President Xi Jinping. According to Indian officials, Wang Yi’s visit sought progress on “de-escalation, delimitation and boundary affairs”. Yet New Delhi also raised concerns about China’s plan to build the world’s largest dam on the Yarlung Tsangpo River in Tibet. India........

© The News International