Is India planning a strategy to improve relations with China? Understand the meaning of this task of Modi 3.0

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping will be in Astana, the capital of Kazakhstan, for the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit next month. The signals received about India-China relations in the last few weeks have been mixed. Australia’s change in strategy shows that there may be a way for practical cooperation with China. It has been four years since the clash with China in the Galwan Valley. After this incident, relations between the two countries deteriorated. There is still tension on the border. 50 to 60 thousand soldiers are deployed on both sides. For Prime Minister Modi, the biggest challenge in his/her third term will be to improve relations with China.

PM Modi and Jinping may meet

According to a report by the Indian Express, both the leaders will attend the SCO summit in Astana on May 3-4, but it is not yet clear whether the two will meet or not. PM Modi had said in an interview to Newsweek magazine in April that for India, relations with China are important and meaningful. I believe that we need to urgently resolve the long-standing deadlock on our borders. he/she had said that stable and peaceful relations between India and China are important not only for our two countries but also for the entire region and the world. Modi had said that I hope and believe that we will be able to restore and maintain peace and stability on our borders.

Signs of resolution of border dispute

China also responded positively to PM Modi’s approach. The Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson said that relations between India and China transcend borders. he/she said that the two countries are communicating through diplomatic and military channels to resolve issues related to the border dispute. The spokesperson said that we expect India to work together with China, view bilateral relations from a strategic height and future perspective. It will try to build trust, engage in dialogue and cooperation, and handle differences appropriately so as to keep relations on a healthy and stable track.

Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar had also expressed hope

In May, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar also expressed hope of resolving the remaining issues with China amid the border dispute in Ladakh. Amid the border standoff in Ladakh, External Affairs Minister Jaishankar said in an interview to PTI that the main remaining issues are related to ‘right to patrol’ and ‘capacity of patrolling’. Pelosi said that the legacy of the Dalai Lama will always remain alive and Xi Jinping will be gone. On Modi’s statement regarding China, Jaishankar said that the Prime Minister has presented a comprehensive view. he/she said that the dispute is now limited to the right to patrol and the capacity of patrolling. Earlier it was demanding withdrawal from the border and reducing tension. However, after the Lok Sabha elections, there is hope of a solution to the border dispute with China. But some other incidents also highlighted the complexities.

Did these two incidents spoil the game?

First, an exchange of messages between the Prime Minister and Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te on the social media platform X (which sources described as the first public interaction between the two leaders) angered China, which it saw as provocative. On June 5, President Lai (also known as William Lai) congratulated Modi on his/her return to power, and expressed his/her desire to expand cooperation in trade, technology and other areas to strengthen the rapidly growing Taiwan-India partnership and contribute to peace and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region. Modi thanked Lai and expressed hope for closer ties and mutually beneficial economic and technological partnerships.

China opposed any official interaction between countries that have diplomatic relations with China and Taiwanese officials and asked India not to back down from its commitment to the ‘One China’ policy. However, India and Taiwan do not have formal diplomatic relations but instead focus on trade, culture and education. Relations between the two countries have been deliberately marginalised for the past three decades due to China’s sensitivities.

Secondly, a US Congressional delegation met the Dalai Lama in Dharamsala on Wednesday, where former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi declared that the Tibetan spiritual leader’s legacy will live on forever while Xi Jinping will be gone and not be credited for anything. A day later, the delegation met Prime Minister Narendra Modi, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and National Security Advisor Ajit Doval. The US delegation’s visit to India drew a sharp reaction from China. China urged the US to abide by its commitments to “recognise Tibet as part of China and not support ‘Tibetan independence'”.

What are the experts saying?

Experts have different opinions about the recent events between India and China. The first view is that India is ready for talks with China, but at the same time is showing itself strong. This view is based on the interviews of Prime Minister Modi and Foreign Minister Jaishankar in which they expressed their desire to find a solution to the border issue. Also, this view sees India’s relations with Taiwan and meeting with the Dalai Lama as a message to China that India is capable of building relations with other countries in the region as well.

On the other hand, there is another view that India is probably waiting for a better deal. This view says that initially India’s goal was to resolve the border issue quickly after the elections. But, after winning fewer seats than expected, the government has become cautious. Experts believe that India is probably waiting for some concessions from China before improving relations.