Context:
- A debate has re-emerged on whether India should normalise relations with China despite unresolved border disputes.
- At the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping agreed to restart bilateral trade and air connectivity.
- Both sides reiterated the need to maintain peace and tranquillity along the Line of Actual Control (LAC), nearly five years after the Galwan Valley clash (2020).
Key Highlights:
Diplomatic Engagements & Confidence-Building
- India and China reaffirmed their identity as development partners, committing to prevent differences from turning into disputes.
- Emphasis on economic engagement alongside diplomatic dialogue, echoing the 1988 Rajiv Gandhi–Deng Xiaoping understanding.
Border Management & Security Concerns
- India considers restoration of patrolling rights in Demchok and Depsang as a diplomatic gain.
- China views the 2024 Border Patrol Agreement as a disengagement mechanism, not a sovereignty settlement.
- Creation of cross-patrolled buffer zones may reduce friction but also risks diluting India’s traditional patrolling access.
China’s Regional & Global Strategy
- China seeks global primacy, viewing India as one among several South Asian actors.
- Beijing’s close military and strategic support to Pakistan, including during Operation Sindoor, raises trust deficits.
- Expansion of trilateral frameworks (China–Pakistan–Afghanistan) to consolidate regional influence.
Economic & Strategic Pressures
- China’s infrastructure buildup on the Tibetan Plateau forces India to increase LAC infrastructure spending, straining resources.
- Economic Survey 2024–25: China accounts for nearly 45% of global manufacturing output.
- China’s concerns over India’s demographic dividend and economic rise reflected in export controls and investment curbs.
Key Concepts Involved:
- Line of Actual Control (LAC): De facto India–China boundary.
- Border Patrol Agreement: Disengagement via buffer zones without sovereignty resolution.
- Article 370: Its dilution influenced China’s posture during the Galwan crisis.
Relevant Prelims Points:
- Issue & Causes:
- Long-standing undefined boundary, strategic mistrust, and China’s regional ambitions.
- Trigger events: Galwan clash (2020), infrastructure competition, constitutional changes in J&K.
- Government Initiatives:
- Diplomatic talks (WMCC, Corps Commander-level meetings).
- Economic engagement through trade normalization and connectivity restoration.
- Benefits of Normalisation:
- Reduces risk of military escalation.
- Supports economic stability and supply chain integration.
- Challenges & Impact:
- Risk of normalising unilateral status quo changes.
- Strategic pressure from China–Pakistan nexus.
Relevant Mains Points:
- Facts & Provisions:
- 1988 normalization model: border peace + parallel engagement.
- Post-2020 reality: erosion of trust, altered ground positions.
- Conceptual & Static Linkages:
- Realism vs Strategic Autonomy, Balance of Power, Economic Interdependence and Security Dilemma.
- Critical Analysis:
- Normalisation without boundary resolution may bring short-term stability but long-term strategic costs.
- Economic engagement must not undermine territorial integrity and strategic leverage.
- Way Forward:
- Conditional normalisation linked to verifiable restoration of status quo ante.
- Strengthen border infrastructure and military deterrence alongside diplomacy.
- Diversify supply chains to reduce economic overdependence on China.
- Deepen partnerships in the Indo-Pacific while keeping dialogue channels open.
UPSC Relevance (GS-wise):
- GS Paper II – International Relations: India–China relations, border disputes, regional geopolitics.
- GS Paper III – Economy: Manufacturing dominance, supply chains, strategic economic competition.