New Delhi: About four weeks after Indian and Chinese leaders met to resolve the military stand-off in eastern Ladakh, India stated that the implementation of their “understanding” was progressing as planned with other bilateral instruments to be resumed soon, while China called for “more positive signals” and “practical progress” to build trust.
The Indian and Chinese foreign ministers met on the sidelines of the G-20 summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, where discussions, according to the Indian readout, “focused on the next steps in India-China relations”.
On October 23, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping held their first talks in five years in Kazan, Russia, paving the way for the normalisation of relations strained by the military stand-off in eastern Ladakh. The meeting initiated disengagement at the two remaining friction points: the Depsang Plains and Demchok.
Two days earlier, India had first announced that a “patrolling agreement” had been finalised for these areas. On November 2, it confirmed that “verification patrolling” had commenced in Depsang and Demchok, marking the “last phase of disengagement” agreed upon on October 21.
In his opening remarks at the meeting on Monday (November 19), external affairs minister S. Jaishankar said that at Kazan, “our leaders reached a consensus on taking next steps on our relationship, bearing in mind the understanding of October 21”.
“I am glad to note that on the ground, the implementation of that understanding has proceeded as planned,” he said.
This was the first time that an Indian official had used the term “understanding” for the October 21 deal. Both the Indian foreign secretary as well as the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA)’s readout of the Modi-Xi meeting had referred to an “agreement” for disengagement.
Incidentally, the original link of the press release on the MEA’s website does not show the document. It is not available in the list of all press releases either.
The Chinese side had usually referred to “resolutions” or “common understandings”.
On the sidelines of the G20 Summit in Rio, met CPC Politburo member and FM Wang Yi of China.
We noted the progress in the recent disengagement in the India-China border areas. And exchanged views on the next steps in our bilateral ties.
AdvertisementAlso discussed the global situation. pic.twitter.com/fZDwHlkDQt
— Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) November 19, 2024
Advertisement
The Indian press release offered more details into the discussions between Jaishankar and Wang Yi, which were described as “focussed on the next steps in India-China relations.”
“It was agreed that a meeting of the Special Representatives and of the Foreign Secretary-Vice Minister mechanism will take place soon,” stated the MEA’s communique.
The other items on the agenda included the resumption of the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra pilgrimage, data sharing on trans-border rivers, the restoration of direct flights between the two nations, and media exchanges.
The Chinese foreign ministry’s press release quoted Wang as describing the Kazan meeting as having “marked the restart of China-India relations”.
“Both sides should implement the important consensus reached by the leaders, respect each other’s core interests, enhance mutual trust through dialogue and communication, handle differences appropriately with sincerity and integrity, and push bilateral relations back to the track of stable and healthy development at an early date,” read the Chinese-language statement, according to a machine translation.
Wang also emphasised the need to “send more positive signals” to “enhance mutual trust more and reduce suspicion”.
“Strive to make practical progress as soon as possible in resuming direct flights, exchanging journalists and facilitating visas. Next year marks the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and India. Both sides should plan commemorative activities, encourage exchanges and visits in all fields and at all levels, and enhance understanding and mutual trust,” said the Chinese readout.
Jaishankar reaffirmed India’s “strong commitment to a multipolar world, including a multipolar Asia.” However, while Wang also spoke about global multipolarity, he characteristically omitted any mention of a multipolar Asia.
“Where India is concerned, its foreign policy has been principled and consistent, marked by independent thought and action. We are against unilateral approaches to establish dominance. India does not view its relationships through the prism of other nations,” the MEA’s statement quoted Jaishankar as saying.
Meanwhile, Wang highlighted that both Asian neighbours “pursue a non-aligned foreign policy, adhere to multilateralism and support the democratisation of international relations”.
