Thursday, Sep 04, 2025 22:30 [IST]
Last Update: Wednesday, Sep 03, 2025 16:55 [IST]
Being among the world’s oldest civilizations with rich culture and heritage, both India and China have had not only people-to-people contacts but also regular visits by travelers and scholars during the reign of several dynasties.
On the one hand, we have read about Confucius and Hiuen Tsang; on the other hand, names like Mao Zedong, Zhou Enlai, and Deng Xiaoping have been heard time and again in India in the post-Panchsheel Era (April 29, 1954), when Jawaharlal Nehru was our Prime Minister.
CULTURAL REVOLUTION
If Mao was the most powerful Chinese Communist leader ever, from 1949 to 1976, it was Deng Xiaoping who served as the paramount leader of China from 1978 to 1992. He is credited with having kept China “hidden” from international glare and attention for over a decade. By the end of his era, China appeared stronger politically, diplomatically, scientifically, and in project management, as well as in art, culture, and sports. The performance of Chinese athletes and sportspersons became a force to reckon with after what is widely known as the Cultural Revolution. Chinese athletes began to occupy top positions in the Olympics and World Championships, earlier dominated by the U.S., U.K., and Russia. Determined as ever, China never looked back.
ERA OF XI JINPING
President Xi Jinping, aged 72, has been at the helm of affairs in both administration and the ruling party since November 15, 2012. A man of few words, he gradually rose to become the strongest-ever President of the People’s Republic of China and head of the ruling Communist Party. He succeeded Hu Jintao. Incidentally, the latter was humiliated at an annual Communist Party conference just before his demise.
Close on the heels of Vladimir Putin, Xi declared himself President for Life more than three years ago. He faced tough challenges, especially from youth during the Covid period in 2021–22, but being a capable administrator, he managed to suppress criticism and protest rallies that could have proved embarrassing.
DOKLAM TUSSLE & GALWAN WAR
On June 16, 2017, during a routine patrol near the tri-junction point (where the Indian border touches that of Bhutan and China) at Doklam in East Sikkim, Indian soldiers discovered hectic road construction activity by Chinese soldiers. It was a clear violation of two Bhutan-China agreements of 1988 and 1998 on land claimed by both Bhutan and China. A few days of fistfights between the armies of India and China ultimately led to withdrawal to their original positions.
GALWAN
What happened on June 15, 2020, in Galwan at the LAC in East Ladakh was far more serious. In a major shift in its Border Road policy, the central government approved construction of a feeder road to Patrol Point 14 in Galwan. Apart from providing improved access and support, it was meant to help civilian settlements and communication in the area. As the prospect of improved Indian connectivity appeared unpalatable to China, its soldiers began throwing stones and boulders. This was responded to in a tit-for-tat manner by Indian troops.
When things went out of control, action by guns and artillery followed. While 20 Indian soldiers, including Col. Santosh Babu of the Bihar Regiment, sacrificed their lives, on the Chinese side, the number was between 35 and 45.
It was the deadliest border clash between India and China since 1967. The issue was resolved due to deft diplomatic handling, sooner than expected. However, the fact remains that China continues to forcibly occupy thousands of hectares of Indian land in Ladakh as well as in the Arunachal sectors.
RESUMPTION OF MANSAROVAR YATRA AFTER SEVEN YEARS
There has been détente (relaxation of strained relations) after several diplomatic and military-level discussions. As a result, the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra was resumed in the second week of June 2025 after a gap of seven years, through Nathu La in Sikkim and Lipulekh and Shipki La in Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh, respectively.
LONG STANDOFF
It is well known that there has been a five-year military standoff between India and China, with some attempts to relax tensions in October 2024. Ignoring it, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Xi Jinping have lately stressed that the two countries are partners, not rivals. It appears that things may work towards gradual normalisation, which is the need of the hour, more so in view of the misuse of tariff policy by the USA.
FIRST VISIT OF P.M. TO CHINA IN 7 YEARS
Prior to his first visit to China in seven years, Prime Minister Modi visited Tokyo and Tianjin in Japan. The latter is a port city which once served Imperial China. Having spent two days in Japan to consolidate mutual ties by signing commercial, technological, and security agreements, it appeared Modi was seeking re-engagement with China. In Beijing, prior to the SCO Summit, when Modi and Xi Jinping finally met, it was speculated that both would agree to end the five-year chill in bilateral ties.
They would keep in mind the following three pillars of SCO: Security, Connectivity, and Opportunity.
THREATENED WEAPON OF U.S. TARIFF
Talking of the U.S. factor, the imposition of 50% tariff on Indian goods, as opposed to only 19% on Pakistani goods, is very unfair. It is bound to hit the diamond and textile sectors of India very adversely.
The trust deficit between India and the U.S. has deepened not only due to the 50% tariff but also because of the imposition of an additional 25% tariff on India over purchase of crude oil from Russia. As regards China, no such additional tariff has been announced.
It could be said that the personal anger of Donald Trump—his whims and fancies, and his knack for playing with fire—are bound to go against him one day. Many allies of the USA fell in line with him but India did not, and rightly so. Trump’s open criticism by two powerful mayors and murmurs within the Republican Party are also to be watched closely. He had a 50% approval rating when he took over, but now it is down by 50%.
OUTCOME OF SCO SUMMIT
It is likely to go against Donald Trump, as apparent from the tone and tenor of the heads of Russia, China, Japan, India, and North Korea during the summit and from whatever emerged from the sideline discussions. Russia, China, India, and Japan may remain united for the time being to prevent any further U.S. attempt to use tariffs as a nasty international weapon.
Meanwhile, India’s engagement and attempt to re-cement ties with Russia and China has already evoked strong criticism and concern from Peter Navarro, U.S. Trade Advisor.
Back to talks between Modi and Xi Jinping: the two leaders, meeting on the sidelines of the SCO Summit, reportedly agreed on a fair, reasonable, and mutually acceptable resolution of the border issue, and stressed the significance of a multipolar world and the role of the two economies in stabilising world trade. This meeting, their second in ten months, took place against the backdrop of the deepening crisis between India and the U.S. over the 50% tariff imposed by the Trump administration.
When asked if the rise in U.S. tariffs figured in the talks between the two leaders, the Indian Foreign Secretary, as expected, only minced words. He stated that the focus was on the bilateral domain, but the international trade situation did come up.
BRICS SUMMIT OF OCTOBER 2024
The last meeting of Indian and Chinese leaders was during the BRICS Summit in Kazan, in October 2024. Prime Minister Modi optimistically felt that after disengagement at the border, an atmosphere of peace and stability would prevail. Further, he disclosed that Special Representatives had also reached an agreement on Border Management, perhaps referring to two meetings between Ajit Doval and the Chinese Foreign Minister in December 2024 and August 2025. Modi described these meetings as fruitful.
SCO MEET AT TIANJIN
Addressing the main summit on September 1, Prime Minister Modi made it clear at the outset that double standards on terror were unacceptable and that sovereignty and territorial integrity were key factors. Referring to the Pahalgam terror attack, he said that it was not only an assault on the conscience of India but also an open challenge to every nation and every individual with faith in humanity. On the whole, Modi focussed on the need to oppose terrorism and those supporting it.
Ahead of Modi, President Xi Jinping of China stressed his vision for a new global security and economic order that gives priority to the Global South. It was a direct challenge to the U.S.A. He went on to add that we must continue to take a clear stand against hegemonism and power politics and practice multilateralism.
TO SUM UP
In order to maintain the tempo that was set on the sidelines and continued during the summit proper, President Xi Jinping hosted a banquet in honour of SCO leaders. Prime Minister Modi got an opportunity to meet the host again and reiterate commitment to improving bilateral ties based on mutual trust and respect. Apart from his forceful arguments against the menace of terrorism in the presence of facilitators such as the President of Turkiye and the Prime Minister of Pakistan, Modi also called for reforms in the UNO on the occasion of the 80th anniversary of the world body.
On the whole, the spirit during the summit was respectful and non-confrontational.
But when it comes to China, they are capable of changing colours like a chameleon. India shall have to move very carefully and cautiously.
All said and done, India’s very old ties with Russia must take precedence over any disengagement with China or any fresh trade treaty negotiations with the USA.
