India and China are now set to carefully review other aspects of their bilateral relationship after successfully pulling back troops from the last two remaining face-off points along their disputed Himalayan border, India’s Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar announced on Tuesday.
This development follows a landmark deal reached six weeks ago to end a tense four-year military standoff that had strained relations between the two Asian giants. Jaishankar’s statement suggests that India is open to improving business and diplomatic ties, which had also been damaged during the conflict.
Tensions between India and China escalated in 2020 when clashes along their western Himalayan border resulted in the deaths of 20 Indian soldiers and four Chinese soldiers. In response, India severed direct air links with China, banned numerous Chinese mobile apps, and imposed stricter regulations on Chinese investments, stating that normal relations could not resume without peace on the border.
While India emphasized the importance of peace at the frontier, China maintained that the border conflict should not disrupt the overall relationship between the two nations. Jaishankar’s recent comments highlight a shift, suggesting that with the disengagement process now complete, both sides can focus on other aspects of their ties in a “calibrated” manner, while prioritizing national security.
“We are clear that maintaining peace and tranquility in the border areas is a pre-requisite for the development of our ties,” Jaishankar told parliament. He also confirmed that high-level talks would soon take place to discuss the next steps, including de-escalation and effective management of activities along the border.
The undemarcated 4,000 km (2,500-mile) border between India and China has been a long-standing source of tension, including a brief war in 1962. While the relationship stabilized following diplomatic agreements in the early 1990s, trade and business ties were severely disrupted after the 2020 clashes.
Following the agreement to resolve the border conflict in October, Chinese President Xi Jinping and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi held their first formal talks in five years, agreeing to work towards improving relations.
Indian officials have indicated that New Delhi will proceed cautiously, acknowledging the significant trust deficit caused by recent tensions. Initial steps towards rekindling economic ties are expected to include the resumption of direct flights and streamlined visa approvals.
