INDIA, CHINA MADE POSITIVE STRIDES

• GS-2: International Relations (India-China Bilateral Ties, Border Disputes, Global South Cooperation)

Key Highlights

Improved Bilateral Ties Post-Standoff:

• Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi emphasized that India and China have made positive strides in their relationship post the eastern Ladakh military standoff.
• The Modi-Xi meeting in Kazan (October 2023) provided strategic direction for diplomatic engagement.

Diplomatic & Economic Cooperation:

• Wang Yi highlighted mutual support, strategic communication, and economic cooperation as key elements of strengthening bilateral relations.
• He stressed that differences over the boundary dispute should not hinder overall ties.

Global South & Geopolitical Positioning:

• China and India, as leading voices of the Global South, should work together to resist hegemonic power politics (indirect reference to U.S. influence).
• Wang Yi suggested that India-China cooperation could enhance global democracy and improve South-South collaboration.

Analysis & Way Forward

• Border tensions remain a major challenge despite diplomatic talks.
• Stronger economic ties, people-to-people exchanges, and military-level discussions can prevent further confrontations.
• India’s strategic autonomy and China’s geopolitical ambitions will determine the trajectory of future engagement.

Mains Mock Question:

“India-China relations have often been shaped by both cooperation and competition. Discuss the key challenges and opportunities in their bilateral engagement.”