India-China Relations: Recent Developments
Indian Foreign Minister Subramanyam Jaishankar met with Xi Jinping on Tuesday during the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit, where he also interacted with China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi. This marks Jaishankar’s first trip to China in six years, and many view it as indicative of a thawing relationship between India and China. Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently emphasized this theme of reconciliation.
The backdrop of this meeting also includes the BRICS summit that took place earlier this month, just after the two nations agreed to de-escalate tensions along their contested Himalayan border.
Although India and China are fundamentally rivals, their relationship has suffered, especially following a 2020 border clash that saw both military forces engage in an unusual skirmish with makeshift weapons. This was seen as a necessary step to prevent further escalation.
After his discussions with Chinese officials, Jaishankar reflected positively on the progress made over the past nine months in normalizing bilateral ties. He noted that fostering a stable and constructive relationship benefits not just the two countries, but the world at large, and emphasized that mutual respect and benefit are essential in this context.
Jaishankar also addressed the challenges posed by China’s trade policies and avoided directly discussing tariffs previously proposed by the Trump administration affecting both nations. He pointed out that closer personal interactions could lead to enhanced cooperation, and mentioned the need to reduce trade barriers.
Furthermore, Jaishankar highlighted cooperation in tackling issues like terrorism and extremism, which he described as shared concerns. He expressed India’s hope for strong global support against terrorism, particularly regarding groups operating from Pakistan that pose threats to its national security.
Amid these complexities, there’s a notable contradiction: India and China, while both are buyers of Russian oil, face potential competitive pressures and mixed interests with the U.S. sanctions looming over this trade. China leads in oil purchases from Russia, closely followed by India, as both nations benefit from acquiring oil at reduced prices.
Trump’s recent threat of imposing secondary tariffs on countries engaging in business with Russia could significantly impact these dynamics. While both nations might be wary of abandoning their affordable energy supplies, it’s anticipated that China may be more willing to defy potential sanctions than India. This presents a complicated situation going forward, especially if tensions around Russian oil trade escalate.
Ultimately, while the specifics of their discussion at the SCO summit remain unclear, it’s evident that both India and China are contemplating the implications of U.S. policy on their oil purchases from Russia.
