India China Talks : After four years and four months, India and China have taken a significant step towards normalizing bilateral ties. The Indian and Chinese governments has announced the completion of the contentious disengagement process in eastern Ladakh. Let see how things panned out in last 52 months.
- What Has Changed Now with Development in India China Talks ?
- What further developments can we anticipate in India-China relations?
- How Long India China Talks Have Been Ongoing?
- How thing are shaping up in last one year ?
What Has Changed Now?
According to the Indian government, both countries have agreed to restore the status quo from April 2020. Indian troops will now patrol the Depsang Bulge area and the Charding Ningling Nullah (CNN) Junction in Demchok, as they did four years ago.
How Long Have India China Talks Been Ongoing?
Over the past four years, there have been 17 rounds of meetings of the Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination (WMCC) on border affairs, as well as 21 rounds of military dialogues aimed at resolving the impasse that has affected relations for nearly five years.
This year, India and China held back-to-back diplomatic talks in July and August to expedite disengagement in remaining areas. India’s Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar met twice with his counterpart Wang Yi in July at the SCO summit in Kazakhstan and in Laos on the sidelines of ASEAN meetings. Wang also met with National Security Advisor Ajit Doval in St. Petersburg in September this year.
Foreign minister S Jaishankar speaking an event that negotiations have been ongoing since September 2020, when he met with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi at the SCO summit in Moscow. He said that that it has been a long and complicated process.
“It has been a very patient process—perhaps more complicated than it could and should have been. Nevertheless, the fact remains that we have now reached an understanding regarding patrolling, maintaining, and observing the sanctity of the LAC (Line of Actual Control).”
How thing are shaping up in last one year ?
The border standoff following the Galwan clash in 2020 prompted the Indian government to implement several measures aimed at limiting Chinese influence on the Indian economy. However, significant discussions have been taking place between the two countries in recent months. First ,surprisingly, this year, the Indian Economic Survey advocated for attracting investments from Chinese companies to boost exports.
“To boost Indian manufacturing and plug India into the global supply chain, it is inevitable that India plugs itself into China’s supply chain. Whether we do so by relying solely on imports or partially through Chinese investments is a choice that India has to make”- Economic Survey,2024
Later this year in August, Government has also fast tracked the visa approvals for Chinese workers to step up manufacturing in sectors covered by PLI schemes. Visas to Chinese nationals has dropped to approximately 2,000 in 2024, compared to around 200,000 prior to the pandemic in 2019.
What further developments can we anticipate in India-China relations?
On 21st October, Foreign minister S Jaishankar was cautious while replying to the future of India China relations. He was specifically enquired about positive impact on Trade and investment of this development says I quote, ” No, Look I would say it’s your right to speculate..but it is my caution as a minister to be careful in responding. There will be now meetings to see what should be the next steps okay so I wouldn’t go so fast”
Foreign Minister S Jaishankar has previously stated that 75 percent of the disengagement issues with China had been “sorted out,” but noted that the “bigger issue” remains the increasing militarization of the border.
Now, both sides have expressed praise for the agreement, but it will be interesting to see how fresh things develops from here. As both countries has said, “The two sides will now take next steps on this”.