India-China talks

A MEETING between senior Indian and Chinese military leaders, scheduled for Saturday, has raised hopes of a breakthrough amid the tense standoff along the Line of Actual Control (LAC). Divisional Commander-level talks between Major General-rank officers of the two countries have already been held earlier this week. The developments indicate that both sides are keen on de-escalation of tensions, even though they have miles to go as far as resolving the territorial disputes is concerned. In a firm yet measured statement, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said on Tuesday that a ‘sizeable’ number of Chinese troops had moved into areas in eastern Ladakh which China claimed are its territory and India had taken ‘all necessary steps’ to deal with the situation. It’s creditable that India has held its ground in the face of Chinese transgressions over the past month or so and desisted from responding rashly to the provocations.

Both countries find themselves at the crossroads in contrasting ways. India has its hands full with Covid-19 as the caseload has crossed 2 lakh, while China is steadily rebuilding its economy after having overcome the pandemic. At this juncture, when the interests of their citizens are of paramount importance, the military one-upmanship between the nuclear-armed neighbours is uncalled for. They need to persist with talks at the military and diplomatic levels so that a middle ground can be found for the time being. The fact that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping held two informal summits in two years after the 2017 Doklam confrontation shows there is room for further interaction and ironing out of differences.

India can’t be oblivious to the geopolitical reality of being hemmed in by two unreliable neighbours — Pakistan on one side and China on the other. China’s unstinting support to Pakistan is another irritant for New Delhi. With a power shift from the West to the East being foreseen as the defining feature of the post-pandemic world order, the best course for India is to keep its cards close to its chest. Peaceful coexistence, if not cooperation, with China can help India stand tall amid the Covid ruins.