Xi Jinping's Visit to New Delhi for the BRICS Summit
Xi Jinping's visit to India marked his first in seven years, during which he attended the BRICS summit in New Delhi. This visit highlighted a carefully calibrated moment in India-China relations.
India-China Relations: Key Themes
- Neither India nor China has altered its assessment of the other, but both are attempting to establish mechanisms to manage competition without escalating into a crisis.
- The Modi-Xi meeting emphasized that India and China should view each other as partners rather than rivals, with the core idea being that differences should not escalate into disputes.
- Xi Jinping emphasized calibrating perceptions, leveraging strengths, supporting each other's BRICS presidencies, and coordinating in institutions like the UN, SCO, and G20.
- Modi stressed mutual respect, sensitivity, and interest, highlighting the need for a fair boundary settlement and reassuring positions on Taiwan and Tibet.
Reasons for Cautious Optimism
- Diplomatic Normalisation: Xi's visit signifies a move away from diplomatic paralysis since Galwan, renewing leader-level dialogues which can create channels for future crisis management.
- Economic Opportunity: To ease frictions, greater trade and investment between India and China are crucial, but depend on Beijing addressing concerns over market access and trade imbalance.
- Selective Cooperation: Areas of overlapping interests include uncertainty surrounding US trade policy and vulnerabilities in global supply chains, reflecting pragmatic alignment.
Limits of Rapprochement
- The core boundary dispute remains unresolved, with military deployments and strategic mistrust persisting.
- India and China continue to compete across various domains, and security considerations influence economic policy.
- Differences over BRICS reflect larger strategic divergences, with India seeking a multipolar order and China desiring an environment less dominated by the US.
Conclusion
The visit is best seen as a milestone in the post-Galwan stabilisation process rather than a reset of ties. For sustained stability, peace along the LAC, economic progress, and continuous political engagement are key. The current phase is characterized by stabilisation without strategic trust, engagement without reconciliation, and cooperation without convergence.
