No India-China thaw at SCO meet
New Delhi did well to continue to push for de-escalation at LAC. This will need more than talks at the diplomatic and military levels
With the India-China standoff on the Line of Actual Control (LAC) into its fifth year, it would be unrealistic to expect a meeting between the foreign ministers of the two sides to lead to an immediate breakthrough, especially in the absence of any meaningful engagement of the top leadership of both countries in several years. The meeting in Astana (where the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit is on) saw external affairs minister S Jaishankar emphasising to his Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi, the need for complete disengagement of troops at the remaining “friction points” in Ladakh and restoring peace at the border to facilitate the restoration of normalcy in bilateral ties. There was also agreement on stepping up the diplomatic and military talks that began in 2020 to resolve the face-off that has heightened tensions between the Asian giants. All of these points are in line with India’s stated position that it cannot be business as usual with China as long as tens of thousands remain deployed on LAC, often in close proximity to other, and Beijing continues to flout agreements that had ensured a fragile peace at the disputed border. The meeting of the foreign ministers, however, is significant as this is the first time Jaishankar and Yi sat across a table in almost a year to discuss a situation that is not in the interest of either side.
![Astana [Kazakhstan], Jul 04 (ANI): External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar meets his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi on the sidelines of the annual Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit, in Astana on Thursday. (ANI Photo) (ANI)](https://images.hindustantimes.com/img/2024/07/04/400x225/Astana--Kazakhstan---Jul-04--ANI---External-Affair_1720107800544.jpg "Astana [Kazakhstan], Jul 04 (ANI): External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar meets his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi on the sidelines of the annual Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit, in Astana on Thursday. (ANI Photo) (ANI)")
The fraught nature of the bilateral relationship and China’s numerous actions — whether it is forays into the Indian Ocean by its surveillance vessels or meddling in countries in India’s backyard — don’t augur well for regional stability. There have been subtle shifts by India on issues of importance to China — such as more open support for the Philippines’ position in the South China Sea, allowing a US Congressional delegation to visit the Dalai Lama in Dharamshala, and the Indian premier’s references to Taiwan in public comments — that show New Delhi is less willing to countenance coercion or use of force.
However, it has also become amply clear that the diplomatic and military tracks are no longer adequate to fully resolve the standoff on LAC. Some on the Indian side even believe this is an effort by China to prolong the issue and hold up its resolution, while Beijing continues to insist that the border standoff be put in its “appropriate place”. Therefore, the diplomatic and military talks should proceed in parallel with some form of supervision by the political leadership of both sides to ensure results, without the process dragging on interminably.
