Marking a major diplomatic breakthrough after the disengagement process between India and China was completed last November, New Delhi and Beijing decided on a slew of measures to improve bilateral exchanges: resuming Kailash Mansarovar Yatra in the summer this year; restoring direct flights between the two capitals; issuing visas for journalists and think tanks, and working towards sharing trans-border river data, an official statement from the Ministry of External Affairs said Monday.
These decisions were arrived at after Foreign Secretary Vikram misiri Vice Foreign minister Sun Weidong in Beijing, Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Minister of International Department of the Communist Party of China Liu Jianchao.
Recalling the agreement between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Xi Jinping at their meeting in Kazan in October, the MEA said that the two sides “reviewed the state of India-China bilateral relations comprehensively” and “agreed to take certain people-centric steps to stabilize and rebuild ties”.
While there was no mention of the border situation in the Indian statement, it said, “It was agreed to resume these dialogues step by step and to utilize them to address each other’s priority areas of interest and concern.”
Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri talks to China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Beijing. (AP/PTI)
This is an oblique reference to the border situation, with no specific timelines and pathway to de-escalation and de-induction of troops.
The MEA official statement said: “The two sides decided to resume the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra in the summer of 2025; the relevant mechanism will discuss the modalities for doing so as per existing agreements. They also agreed to hold an early meeting of the India-China Expert Level Mechanism to discuss resumption of provision of hydrological data and other cooperation pertaining to trans-border rivers.”
“The two sides agreed to take appropriate measures to further promote and facilitate people-to-people exchanges, including media and think-tank interactions. They agreed in principle to resume direct air services between the two countries; the relevant technical authorities on the two sides will meet and negotiate an updated framework for this purpose at an early date,” it said.
It also said that the “two sides recognize that 2025, being the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between India and China, should be utilized to redouble public diplomacy efforts to create better awareness about each other and restore mutual trust and confidence among the public. The two sides will conduct a number of commemorative activities to mark this anniversary…Specific concerns in the economic and trade areas were discussed with a view to resolving these issues and promoting long-term policy transparency and predictability.”
Wang called on China and India to “explore more substantial measures to promote mutual understanding and support” as he met with Misri in Beijing Monday.
The Chinese Foreign ministry readout of the meeting between Misri and Wang, translated from Mandarin by Chinese state-backed media outlet CGTN, said: “The two countries should refrain from mutual suspicion, mutual estrangement, and mutual exhaustion, said Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee”.
Interestingly, his framing of the three mutuals was in sharp contrast to India’s redlines: External Affairs minister S Jaishankar has, in the past, outlined that India’s approach can be summed up in terms of “the three mutuals – mutual respect, mutual sensitivity and mutual interests”.
After the Misri-Wang meeting, the Chinese readout said, “He (Wang) said the improvement and development of China-India relations fully align with the fundamental interests of both countries and their peoples, and are conducive to safeguarding the legitimate rights and interests of the Global South countries.”
A tale of 3 mutuals
Wang YI flagged three mutuals to avoid: “suspicion, estrangement, and exhaustion.” This comes after Jaishankar had outlined India’s approach in terms of “the three mutuals — mutual respect, mutual sensitivity and mutual interests”.
“It also helps to contribute to peace, stability, and prosperity in Asia and the world”, he added, as per the translated text.
The Foreign Secretary’s visit is a move to repair damaged bilateral ties after Chinese incursions in 2020 triggered a military standoff along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh.
Misri’s visit comes just over a month after National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, who are also the Special Representatives, met in Beijing on December 18 — less than two months after a border patrolling arrangement was announced on October 21, which was followed by a meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the BRICS Summit in Kazan, Russia on October 23.
