Tough talk to China

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar’s forthright sharing of New Delhi’s assessment of China’s actions over the past two years with his visiting Chinese counterpart sends an unequivocal message that the onus of normalisation of ties lies with Beijing. The tough talk on how the presence of a large number of troops, in contravention of agreements, denotes an abnormality is a clear signal that border disengagement and de-escalation remain non-negotiable, and a starting point for any restoration of ties. The face-to-face, candid expression of India’s stance left no ambiguity about mutual respect, sensitivity and interest forming the basis of the relationship — sentiments that have been sorely missing.

As expected, no breakthrough or major announcement came out of Beijing’s outreach as Wang Yi became the senior-most Chinese representative to visit India since the 2020 clashes in eastern Ladakh led to a sharp plunge in relations. The conversation in the Chinese Communist Party mouthpiece Global Times veered around the need for New Delhi to change its attitude and play down the border clashes for a positive thrust, given the two neighbours’ relations with Russia, a line taken by Wang Yi himself. Both Jaishankar and National Security Adviser (NSA) Ajit Doval, though, responded to the call for taking a ‘long-term view’ by sticking to the stance that the overall development of ties was intrinsically linked to resolution of the border issues.

China’s keenness to host Prime Minister Modi at the BRICS summit later this year and the invitation to the NSA do signal, on the surface at least, a less confrontationist and a more open approach. But its suggestion to manage and control differences for facilitating the development of bilateral relations is easier said than done. Given Beijing’s propensity for provocation of late, be it in Ladakh or Arunachal, business as usual remains elusive. Any reduction of the trust gap would need action on the ground, not a sudden switch to friendly overtures.