India needs a strategic reset of ties with China

How far should India's thaw in relations with China go? While this week's patch-up moves are welcome, an economic engagement that serves India well is the real challenge to be met

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It has been said that it takes only a minute to rupture ties, but needs years to repair them. The recent meeting between career diplomats from India and China achieved some progress in normalizing relations between the two powerful Asian neighbours, riven by festering border disputes and uneven trade balances. It was the latest in a series of engagements following the October meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Xi Jinping after a gap of almost five years. The two nations agreed to resume people-to-people exchanges as a step towards dispelling mistrust on both sides of the 3,500km border. Two developments hold special significance. The first is a resumption of direct flights, once relevant authorities finalize the appropriate framework. Media reports estimate that about 500 direct flights operated every month, linking different cities of the two countries, before border incursions by Chinese troops in 2020 strained relations and snapped all air-links. The second is China's signalling of respect for Indian sensitivities by