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China-India relations
This Week in AsiaOpinion
Shivshankar Menon
Shivshankar Menon

Opinion | India-China ties will only improve with mutual trust, starting with border talks

  • Border tensions in 2020 complicated the restoration of trust between the two nations, but trade continues to progress
  • Beijing and New Delhi will have to begin with establishing an understanding of each other’s approach, compulsions on the border

Reading Time:4 minutes
Why you can trust SCMP
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Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi (front) and Chinese President Xi Jinping. In 2021, China was India’s single largest trading partner, and trade set new records. Photo: AP
Shivshankar Menon
Is it possible to restore trust between India and China after recent events have soured the relationship?
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Given the chequered history of relations between the countries since the republics were established in the middle of the last century, and after Chinese PLA actions resulted in the first deaths by hostile action on the border in 45 years in mid-2020, this appears difficult.
But given the increasing role that both countries play in Asia and the world, it is a legitimate hope that they will be more successful and consistent in managing their relationship in the future. That would require a minimum amount of trust, or at least, an understanding between the two governments.

Today’s situation in the relationship can be summed up as complicated and unsettled.

Both sides reportedly have more than 100,000 troops in forward positions along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) that divides them and that they are legally obliged to respect under bilateral agreements. It is fair to say from their actions on the ground and the build-up of military infrastructure that trust is today in short supply.

But there are some hopeful signs. Transactional parts of the relationship continue to move ahead. Last year, China was India’s single largest trading partner, and trade set records.

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Besides, both governments are signalling a desire to de-escalate the tense situation on the LAC and avoid further conflict or escalation. But an impasse is apparent, with India seeking a restoration of the status quo as it obtained in spring 2020 before PLA movements and build-up, and China wishing to move on from the present position.

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