National Security Adviser Ajit Doval held "constructive" talks with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in New Delhi, focusing on the normalisation of bilateral ties. The discussions reviewed recent developments and progress towards rebuilding trust after the eastern Ladakh border standoff. Both sides have implemented measures, including disengagement pacts and high-level meetings, to improve relations.
Jaishankar said India-China ties have been abnormal since 2020 when peace and tranquillity in border areas were disturbed due to Chinese actions.
While tensions have eased at several friction points and mechanisms for managing the boundary have been reactivated, underlying differences persist. Disputes over naming practices in Arunachal Pradesh, continued infrastructure development on both sides, and unresolved questions regarding patrolling rights indicate that the structural gap remains, notes Dr Kumar.
Russian President Vladimir Putin stated that Moscow would not interfere in the "delicate" bilateral relations between India and China, expressing confidence in their ability to resolve border disputes amicably. He also discussed Russia's independent partnerships with both nations, touched upon India-Pakistan ties, and highlighted ongoing and proposed defence cooperation with India, including the BrahMos missile and a potential Su-57 fighter jet project.
A senior Chinese Communist Party official stated that the meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Xi Jinping was fruitful, leading to a new consensus on developing bilateral relations. Both countries aim to enhance cooperation and manage differences.
India's dual pursuit of a robust strategic partnership with Washington and a pragmatic, tension-management policy with Beijing represents the essence of modern multi-alignment. By embracing economic pragmatism, learning to compartmentalize political differences, and engaging in continuous dialogue, India can secure its borders, grow its economy, and contribute to a stable, multipolar Asian century, points out Ambassador Rajasekhar.
India and China held constructive talks on the situation along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh, emphasising that maintaining border peace and tranquillity enabled progress in normalising overall relations.
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi has called on India and China to view each other as partners rather than rivals, emphasising the importance of cooperation for regional stability and development.
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi met with National Security Advisor Ajit Doval in New Delhi, stressing the importance of respecting each other's "core interests" and implementing leaders' consensus for stable bilateral relations. Wang highlighted that India and China should view each other as partners, not rivals, and properly handle sensitive issues like the border dispute to foster cooperation and accelerate the modernisation of the Global South.
Dhaka and Beijing on Thursday agreed to strengthen cooperation on the management of the Teesta and other rivers and signed 13 agreements to bolster bilateral ties following talks between Bangladeshi Prime Minister Tarique Rahman and Chinese Premier Li Qiang.
A Chinese official stated that India and China should view each other as cooperative partners and opportunities for development, not rivals or threats. This statement came in response to Russian President Vladimir Putin's comments on the independent and strong ties Russia maintains with both nations, emphasising non-interference in India-China relations.
India has strongly criticised China's practice of assigning 'fictitious names' to areas within Indian territory, stating that such actions are futile attempts to alter reality and negatively impact efforts to normalise bilateral relations.
'India and China have the wise and sage leadership to steer this complex relationship in the coming decades.'
Senior officials from India and China's foreign ministries met in Beijing to discuss bilateral ties following a meeting between Prime Minister Modi and President Xi.
China has welcomed the appointment of Vikram Doraiswami as the new Indian Ambassador, expressing optimism for improved Sino-India relations. Doraiswami, a seasoned diplomat with experience in China, is expected to play a key role in managing complex bilateral issues and fostering cooperation.
Forecasts of a frosty, rough patch in India-China relations, observers in New Delhi and Beijing told rediff.com, may be inaccurate, at least for now.
'The muscularity of the last three years didn't bring any dividends and if anything, Chinese attitudes only hardened,' says Ambassador M K Bhadrakumar.
'China continues to perceive its relations with India through the prism of India-US relations, with the US using India to counter balance against China in the Indo-Pacific and beyond.'
Chinese leaders, including its generals, will have to weigh whether they can win a war if they ever attack Taiwan and if at all, can they sustain the subsequent devastation, notes Rup Narayan Das.
US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth praised India's military modernisation efforts at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, highlighting its growing industrial and logistics capacity.
Phunchuk Stobdan's forte was candour and strong views on India's defence. Naturally, India's adversaries were in awe of him, fearing his views and unyielding stand on boundary issues, remembers Tarun Vijay.
India has launched anti-dumping investigations into imports of thermal paper, Biaxially Oriented Polyamide (BOPA) Film, and certain antioxidants from China, following complaints from domestic manufacturers alleging material injury due to cheap imports.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi says India-China relations have made steady progress in the last 10 months, guided by respect for each other's interests and sensitivities. He made the remarks after meeting with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi.
A readout by the US said the agreement marked a milestone in the strategic partnership between the two nations to ensure that the foundational elements required for advanced technology and energy are available within trusted networks.
'The flip side of this is that he won't hesitate to call out India if he thinks its policies are hurting US economic interests or border US foreign policy goals.'
The US-China rapprochement, however tenuous, is not without implications for India. Both China and Pakistan have become closer to the US, notes Ambassador T P Sreenivasan.
India is increasingly focusing on long-range weapons capable of reaching targets across China.
The Beijing summit may have reduced immediate diplomatic uncertainty, but it did not resolve the deeper structural contest between the United States and China. That contest appears likely to define the coming decade, notes Varun Arya.
Border trade between India and China through the Lipulekh Pass in Uttarakhand's Pithoragarh district is set to resume this year after a six-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Trump can afford to say that COVID-19 is a 'China virus', but we can't expect Modi to say that aloud while his actions may speak louder, says Rup Narayan Das.
'After the Galwan clash, the rules of engagement changed with the army commanders allowed to use any means at their disposal as they deem fit for tactical operations.'
A new report suggests China's maritime vulnerability lies in the Strait of Hormuz, not Malacca, creating strategic competition in the Indian Ocean.
Chinese President Xi Jinping described India and China as "good neighbours, friends and partners", saying that achieving "dragon and elephant dancing together" is the right choice for both countries.
The Nepalese foreign minister was speaking to the media a day after holding wide-ranging talks with his Indian counterpart S Jaishankar that focused on ways to further expand ties in diverse sectors, including trade, critical technology, connectivity and energy.
India is closely monitoring Sri Lanka's decision to offer foreign investors control of an airport near the China-controlled Hambantota port, as it could present a rare opening for Indian firms seeking strategic footholds in the Indian Ocean.
India would confront a more entrenched China, a less dependable United States, and a regional order increasingly shaped by great-power bargaining over which it exercises limited influence, notes Amberish K Diwanji.
Delhi must now purge the delusional hopes of being a 'counterweight' to China in the US calculus, argues Ambassador M K Bhadrakumar.
To get its act going in Myanmar, India would need very dynamic diplomacy and not the lazy all-eggs-in-one-basket approach, points out Subir Bhaumik.
A new report from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) indicates that India has expanded its nuclear arsenal and is developing long-range weapons capable of reaching targets across China, while also maintaining focus on its rivalry with Pakistan.
Teenage shooter Anvii Rathord won a bronze medal in the women's 10m air rifle at the ISSF Junior World Championship in Suhl, Germany. However, India's campaign was marred by a team disqualification due to a breach of equipment stiffness standards by Shambhavi Shravan Kshirsagar. Despite this setback, India continues to lead the medal tally. The championship also saw another Indian shooter, Vanshika Chaudhary, miss a potential gold due to a costly error.
