Beijing has made peace with India, but it remains to be seen how much it implements.

Author: Tanvi Madan
The comparison between the way people reacted to the announcement of the agreement with China to resolve the Doklam crisis in 2017 and the reaction seen from different areas of the country recently when another agreement was signed is an interesting comparison. Indian officials were more careful this time while describing the agreement. Talking about the public, it appreciated this important step. It was believed that this was the effect of the capability of Indian diplomacy and global circumstances. But, there was also a warning that China cannot be trusted.

new relationship
This is an indication that whatever path Delhi and Beijing adopt in the future, it will not be the same path as before 2020. China has repeatedly talked about bringing the relationship back on track, but it has also caused damage to the track. As Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri indicated, the agreement opens up the possibility of a new path, but how it will be shaped and what its ultimate goal will be will depend on how China keeps its old and new promises. . Yet, China has already transformed India. It seems unlikely that relations will be back to normal without any major changes in its policies or actions.

old trick
We still don’t know exactly why China took aggressive steps in 2020 or why it compromised at this time. We do know that he/she has also tried to stabilize deteriorating relations with Australia and the US in the last few years. Analysts believe that the reason behind this is the strategic and economic pressure on it. This may also affect Xi Jinping’s reign within China. Its interactions with other countries, including India, reflect the old Chinese policy of trying to balance alliances by creating divisions among partners.

lack of trust
India did not sit idly by when the standoff on LAC started and this agreement was reached. he/she has strengthened his/her defense capability. The situation at the border has now changed. There are now more soldiers, military equipment and infrastructure there. One reason for this is the lack of trust towards China.

changed perspective
China was earlier seen as a facilitator in achieving India’s goals, but is now considered an obstacle. Their relationship was earlier a source of stability and is now a cause of insecurity. Economic relations which were earlier considered an opportunity are now being seen as a weakness. Earlier it was believed that China was helpful in giving India its rightful place on the global stage. However, now it is considered the main competitor of India. This is the situation everywhere, from the Global South to BRICS. Instead of being helpful in increasing India’s strategic independence, today China is being considered a major obstacle in it.

same concern
After the border dispute of 2014, in the last decade, especially after 2020, India’s relations with like-minded countries have progressed unprecedentedly. Common concerns about China have increased the closeness between India and many other countries. The biggest example is the relationship between India and America. Today both stand together on defence, technology, economic security and many other platforms.

support of colleagues
It is worth noting that even during sensitive talks with China, India did not stop keeping pace with its allies. While talks were going on with China, PM Narendra Modi spoke to Taiwan President Lai Ching-te, Taiwan’s third representative office opened in India, welcomed a delegation of US lawmakers who met the Dalai Lama, Participated in the Quad summit and gave a strong response to China’s aggressive stance in the South China Sea. It seems India no longer believes that deeper ties with the US and other countries will hinder talks with China. India believes that this will help in bringing China to the negotiating table.

America’s stance
India’s partners, such as the US, will not be surprised by this recent agreement. It was obvious for a long time that serious talks were going on between India and China. Washington will consider this an important step towards reducing tensions, but given Beijing’s past attitude, it will want to see whether the agreement is actually implemented. America has also tried to maintain a minimum level in its relations with China. Apart from this, America also understands that India shares a border with China and hence there are some other pressures as well.

communication among friends
But, the question in the minds of America and other partners will be that how will the new agreement with China affect their relations with India. India also remains worried about China’s talks with America or Australia. Just as these countries should inform India about their interactions with China, India should also inform its partners about what is going on between it and China.

(The author has written a book named Fateful triangle: How China shaped US-India relations during the Cold War)