April 23, 2024

India’s relations with China were going downhill ever since the Chinese first took up OBOR and then when the armies of the two countries went eyeball-to-eyeball for a period of 79 days last year. This was in addition to usual prickly points like China supporting Pakistan in various situations, objecting to Dalai Lama’s visit to Arunachal, trying to indulge in what the Indian Navy jokingly called a ‘fishing’ expedition in the Indian Ocean and eyeing Indian territories in the north-east. Statements issued by foreign ministries of both countries, to which the media added fuel, worsened the situation. It was against this backdrop that Prime Minister Modi and President Xi Jinping decided to have an ‘informal’ summit, a first of its kind, no-pomp and no label attached meeting between top decision makers in the two countries.

That the Chinese leadership took this meeting seriously is proven by the fact that the official media in that country covered the event like it was a state visit. Otherwise too, Xi and Modi discussed a wide range of issues and although no agreements were signed, the tone and tenor of the meeting suggested that the recent hostility might go down a few notches and directions to respective militaries would ensure that flare-ups like Doklam would hopefully not happen in future. The main take away from the meeting was the decision by the two leaders to keep channels of communications open, both between the governments and between the militaries. This means that a realization has dawned on both countries that they can display the "maturity and wisdom to handle all their differences peacefully through talks".

Anything that builds trust or opens up lines of communication is to be welcomed as it lays the foundation on which friendly relations can be built in future. In that context, both Xi and Modi need to be congratulated for talking and trying to lay down ground rules. Two other good things which came out of this meeting was the Chinese decision to accept India’s position on OBOR by saying that they will not pester India to join the initiative and an understanding to take up a joint economic project in Afghanistan. With the two leaders deciding to continue with these ‘informal’ summits (the next one is to be held in India next year), it is hoped that Indo-Chinese relations would move into a zone of trust and mutual understanding.

image courtesy: moneycontrol.com