India and China, despite their long and turbulent history, appear to be inching towards a fragile thaw ~ one shaped more by necessity than mutual goodwill. The recent flurry of diplomatic engagements, ranging from ministerial visits to the revival of direct flights and pilgrimages, may signal a tactical reset. But beneath this surface calm lies a complex web of distrust, unresolved territorial disputes, and strategic recalibrations influenced by shifting global dynamics. At the core of the IndoChina friction remains the undemarcated 3,440-kilometre border, where geography and ambiguity often combine to produce flashpoints. The 2020 Galwan Valley clash shattered decades of carefully managed peace and altered the tenor of bilateral ties. While both nations have since engaged in military and diplomatic dialogue to defuse tensions in Ladakh, the shadow of conflict has not entirely lifted.

China’s continuing claims over Arunachal Pradesh and its military posturing along........

© The Statesman