Narendra Modi, Prime Minister of India, has retained most of his senior ministers, including S. Jaishankar as the external affairs minister, in his new Cabinet. Jaishankar has resolved the remaining issues along the Line of Actual Control with China. The Chinese Embassy in New Delhi has also acknowledged the importance of a secure relationship and particular handling of external issues. The continuing military standoff at the undemarcated border in Ladakh has organized around 60,000 troops from both sides, despite rapid infrastructure upgrades along the 3,400 km-long border.
The standoff began in April 2020, when China moved its forces to the places claimed by India, leading to a hand-to-hand fight that killed 20 Indian soldiers and an unknown number of Chinese casualties. Military commanders have met many times, re-establishing the status quo at most points, but some areas remain unsettled.
Indian commentators assure that the deadlock shows a new aggressiveness from China, as in the South China Sea, Taiwan, and Japan. India is worried about Chinese influence in neighboring countries, its presence in the Indian Ocean, and its ties with Pakistan, which could lead to a two-front dispute.
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India has vast security ties with the US but has maintained its strategic autonomy by maintaining close ties with Russia and participating in groupings like BRICS and the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation. The point of view on the border issue differs between India and China, with China believing it should not affect ties negatively in other areas, while India prioritizes re-establishing the status quo at the border for further development of bilateral relations.
The article highlights that the gap between Indian and Chinese capabilities is being narrowed, and future military inducement could result in high costs on both sides. It suggests that a change in Chinese thoughts, accepting India’s strategic autonomy, could form the basis for improved bilateral relations during Modi’s third term.
By Arab news
