China and India to be ‘Partners not Rivals’

Context

During the SCO summit in Tianjin, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping had a meeting.

Key Highlights

• High-Level Interactions: The two leaders met and expressed their delight at the improvement in their relationship.
  • • They reiterated that they are development partners rather than competitors and that conflicts must not arise from disagreements.
• Border Problems: Leaders pointed out that since the successful border disengagement in 2024, peace has been maintained.
• Interpersonal Connections: Agreed upon expanding exchanges through visa assistance and direct flights.
  • • Recognized the importance of their economies in maintaining global trade stability.
• Engagements at Several Levels: The Prime Minister backed the Tianjin Summit and China’s SCO Presidency.
  • • Extended an invitation to President Xi to attend India’s 2026 BRICS Summit.

China-India Relations

• It will be 75 years since India and China established diplomatic relations in 2025.
• Past Tensions:
  • • Tension has increased as a result of recent conflicts and mistrust, which have been exacerbated by the Sino-Indian conflict of 1962.
    • Following the Galwan Valley clashes in 2020, India imposed restrictions on Chinese investment, outlawed Chinese apps (such as TikTok), and suspended flights to China.
• Trade Relations: In FY2024–25, China was India’s second-biggest trading partner. India’s trade deficit climbed to US$99.2 billion out of a total bilateral trade of US$131.84 billion.
• Ongoing Mechanisms: Despite tensions, mechanisms like the Special Representatives (SR) and Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination (WMCC) have been in place to address the boundary issue.
• Recent Advances:
  • • Disengagement in 2024: India and China declare that they have successfully disengaged in eastern Ladakh.
    • 2024 BRICS Summit: Prime Minister Modi and President Xi Jinping underscored “mutual trust, mutual respect, and mutual sensitivity.”

Areas of Concerns

• Persistent Conflict at the Border:
  • • There are recurring conflicts along the more than 2,000-mile-long unresolved border conflict.
    • Clashes in the Galwan Valley (2020), Doklam (2017), and northeastern Indian states (Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh).
• The Mac Mohan Line
  • • Military Infrastructure: Both nations have put up strong defenses along their shared border with roads, trains, and airfields in order to move troops quickly.
    • India has expressed concerns about China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), notably about the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), which runs through Indian territory.
• Trade imbalance: Lowering trade dependency is politically advantageous, but it’s made more difficult by China’s economic clout and India’s reliance on foreign capital.
• China’s expanding influence in the neighboring area:
  • • In India, concerns are growing about China’s presence at Hambantota Port and investments in an oil refinery in Sri Lanka.
• Nepal: India’s strategic position is threatened by China’s infrastructure investments, such as the Pokhara airport.
• Bangladesh: India’s regional influence is being threatened by China’s increasing power, notably through loan agreements.
• Myanmar: China’s expanding links with Myanmar, such as the China-Myanmar Economic Corridor, increase its influence in India’s backyard.

Way Ahead

• Following the Galwan conflict in 2020, the Tianjin meeting shows a little progress in bringing stability back to the LAC.
• To foster mutual trust between India and China, continuous conversation is necessary to bring their goals closer in line with one another regarding the security structure of Asia.

Source: The ToI

Mains PYQ

(Q) The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is viewed as a cardinal subset of China’s larger ‘One Belt One Road’ initiative. Give a brief description of CPEC and enumerate the reasons why India has distanced itself from the same. (2018)

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