SIGNS OF A THAW

After two years of frozen relations between India and China, there seems to be indications of a defrost.

- Pradip R. Sagar

On September 13, when National Security Advisor Ajit Doval met Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi on the sidelines of a BRICS (BrazilRussia-India-China-South Africa) meeting in St Petersburg, Russia, both sides agreed to expedite "complete disengagement" on the remaining friction points along the border, where Chinese and Indian armies have been engaged in a protracted stand-off since May 2020. On the same day, highlighting progress in India-China talks, external affairs minister S. Jaishankar acknowledged that "75 per cent" of the "disengagement problems" have been resolved. Some see the use of the term "complete disengagement" as significant in that the stage is being set for a resumption of high-level political dialogue between the two nations, as military and diplomatic talks seem to have reached their limit. It's now up to the top political leadership to push the issue towards a satisfactory resolution, they say. Overall, the hopeful messaging from Wang, Doval and Jaishankar is seen as preparatory to three potentially key diplomatic moments-a meeting at the ongoing 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), and two more mega events-the BRICS summit in Kazan and the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Islamabad-both in October.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be in New York to attend the UNGA before it winds down on September 24; so will Chinese president Xi Jinping. Modi and Xi will again share the spotlight at the BRICS summit (Oct. 22-24). Though Pakistan has invited Modi for the SCO summit, it is unclear if he will attend.