India and China have agreed to resume border trade and direct flights that had been closed for five years. Relations between the two countries, which had frozen after a bloody clash in the Himalayan border area in 2020, have reached a turning point. Wang Yi, Minister of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China, visited India and announced the formation of a group of experts to expedite the resolution of the border demarcation, creating an atmosphere of thawing relations. There are analyses suggesting that the trade war pressures instigated by U.S. President Donald Trump are strategically bringing the 'two rivals of Asia' closer together.
On the 19th (local time), Wang Yi, Director General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China, visited New Delhi, India, and held a series of meetings with Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, Minister of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of India, and Ajit Doval, National Security Adviser. During a meeting with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Wang delivered a personal letter from President Xi Jinping and noted that the relationship between the two countries is on a 'positive trend' towards cooperation. Prime Minister Modi also responded on social media platform X, stating, 'Since meeting with President Xi, the relationship between the two countries has shown steady progress, respecting mutual interests and sensitivities.'
In this meeting, both sides agreed on a concrete blueprint for resolving border issues. They decided to establish a new group of experts under the existing 'India-China Border Issues Consultation and Coordination Working Mechanism (WMCC)', which was established in 2012, and to seek early harvest in border area demarcation. They also agreed to establish a working group for improving border management and new general-level military channels to be responsible for the eastern and central zones. The Guardian assessed this as a dramatic turnaround, considering that 20 Indian soldiers and 4 Chinese soldiers died in a bloody clash in the Galwan Valley in the Himalayas in June 2020, leading to the worst state in relations.
Prime Minister Modi is expected to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit to be held in Tianjin, China, on the 31st of this month. This will be his first visit to China in seven years since 2018. Given the years of ongoing conflicts, this is seen as a significant step. During the meeting, Director General Wang emphasized that the two countries should view each other as 'partners and opportunities, rather than rivals or threats'. Minister Jaishankar also stated, 'The relationship between the two countries is trying to move forward after going through difficult times.' Doval, the National Security Adviser, conveyed a positive atmosphere by saying, 'The border was calm, and there was peace and tranquility. The bilateral relationship has become more substantive.'
The background of the rapid advancement in bilateral relations lies in the high-intensity trade pressure led by U.S. President Donald Trump. The Trump administration recently threatened to raise tariffs on imports by up to 50% due to India's bulk purchase of Russian crude oil. China is also a longtime trade adversary of the United States. During a meeting with Minister Jaishankar, Director General Wang made remarks that appeared to target the U.S., stating that they must stand against 'unilateral bullying'. Peter Navarro, a trade adviser to the White House, also criticized India in a media op-ed, accusing it of 'snuggling up to both Russia and China', which provoked both countries.
CNN analyzed, 'Trump's trade war is yielding unexpected results. It is cautiously pushing India and China into a tactical embrace.' The thawing of relations between the two countries began last October when Prime Minister Modi and President Xi agreed to a border area patrol accord during their meeting in Kazan, Russia. Since then, China has allowed Indian pilgrims to visit Tibet, and India has resumed issuing tourist visas for Chinese nationals, among other conciliatory measures.
However, despite the bilateral trade volume reaching $130 billion annually, deep-seated strategic distrust remains due to long-standing border disputes and issues related to Pakistan. Therefore, some suggest that this reconciliation is closer to a 'marriage of convenience' aimed at confronting a 'common enemy'. Harsh Pant, Deputy Director of the Observer Research Foundation (ORF), diagnosed in the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) that 'there exists inherent tension in the relationship between the two countries', stating, 'The key is whether they can establish a new relationship based on positive aspects moving forward.'