India’s Modi to meet China’s top diplomat as Asian powers rebuild ties
NEW DELHI—Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will meet with China’s top diplomat on Tuesday in a sign of easing tensions between the nuclear-armed neighbors after a yearslong standoff between the Asian powers.
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, who arrived in India on Monday, is scheduled to hold talks with Modi and other leaders, including National Security Adviser Ajit Doval, about the disputed border in the Himalayan mountains. Reducing the number of troops on the border, and resuming some trade there, is expected to be on the agenda.
Quad
The rebuilding of ties coincides with friction between New Delhi and Washington after US President Donald Trump imposed steep tariffs on India, a longtime ally seen as a counterbalance against China’s influence in Asia. India is part of the Quad security alliance with the United States along with Australia and Japan.
India and China’s decades-old border dispute worsened in 2020 after a deadly clash between their troops in the Ladakh region. The chill in relations affected trade, diplomacy and air travel as both sides deployed tens of thousands of security forces in border areas.
Some progress has been made since then.
Building goodwill
Last year, India and China agreed to a pact on border patrols and withdrew additional forces along some border areas. Both countries continue to fortify their border by building roads and rail networks.
In recent months, the countries have increased official visits and discussed easing some trade restrictions, movement of citizens and visas for businesspeople. In June, Beijing allowed pilgrims from India to visit holy sites in Tibet. Both sides are working to restore direct flights.
Last week, the spokesperson for India’s foreign ministry, Randhir Jaiswal, said India and China were in discussions to restart trade through three points along their 3,488-kilometer border.
Manoj Joshi, a fellow at the Observer Research Foundation, a New Delhi-based think tank, said relations were still at an uneasy level of normalization.
“Settling the boundary issue between the two countries requires political compromise at the highest political level,” said Joshi.
He asserted that the countries are “still talking past each other when it comes to the border dispute and issues surrounding it.”
On Monday, China’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said Beijing is willing to take Wang’s India visit as an opportunity to work with the Indian side to properly handle differences and promote relations.
