Charting a new course for an “irreversible friendship”, India and China have decided to promote all round cooperation both bilaterally and at the international level. The decision taken by both countries to speed up efforts to resolve the nagging boundary dispute and not allow it to hamper all-round development of ties need to be appreciated. Clearly, both sides are pragmatic enough to realize that politics cannot in any way, be allowed to stall the forward movement on other equally important concerns. Moreover, the intent to forge multiple ties across different sectors clearly manifests in the decision to venture out into a 10-pronged strategy to boost their ties in commercial, political and strategic areas. The decisions to hold regular Summit-level meetings, establish a hotline between their Foreign Ministers, set up additional consulate in Kolkata and Guangzhou and open new border points are all welcome moves.
Despite all this euphoria, the visit of the Chinese President Hu Jintao has somewhat been overshadowed by his Ambassador Sun Yuxi’s claim over Arunachal Pradesh. For many, what is intriguing was the very timing of the statement itself. In all probability it is a message that despite the great strides made by India and its growing power in the international stage (India-US nuclear deal), big brother China is always one step ahead. It may also be to remind New Delhi that unresolved disputes linger and in this case, the border issue may need a give and take approach for its satisfactory solution. Whatever may be the case, the border issue will hang as a Sword of Damocles over future course of India-China ties. For both countries, the focus must be to engage one another on multiple mutually beneficial areas of cooperation and let the border dispute remain where it truly belongs, the backburner. This is the right thing to do for both countries. For the immediate both Beijing and New Delhi should consolidate peace and tranquillity along the Line of Actual Control but without foreclosing the ultimate solution of the border issue.
Relationship between New Delhi and Beijing has always been a mixed one with much turns and twists along the way—China’s invasion of Tibet, the 1962 border war and open support for Pakistan. Despite all these lingering issues, to the credit of both sides, differences have not been allowed to come in the way of broader cooperation in other areas. While the border issue will remain a sticking point, mutually beneficial cooperation should not be held hostage to their respective territorial claims. The broad areas identified particularly in the area of trade and commerce must now be given the due attention. A cordial Sino-Indian ties is good not only for the world but also for the region with the possibility of reigning in trouble from the northern front (Pakistan) while allowing for reduction of militarization of South Asia, reduction of military forces in the border and paving the way for commercial and strategic alliance in real terms.
