JAMMU: Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s first-ever visit to China in seven years and his meeting with President Xi Jinping has rest the relations between the two Asian giants , which promise to change the shape of their bilateral relations and that of the rest of the world as well.
One of the most striking points that emerged after the meeting of the two leaders representing 2.8 billion people, was that they committed not to see each other as rivals but the ones who would adhere to the principles of mutual respect, m trust and sensitivity. This is reaffirmation of the good relations the two countries seek through bilateral engagements.
Both India and China realize the fact that they are most populous countries of the world sitting adjacent to each other , and their relations need not be seen through the third country prism. That is very important declaration of sorts as both the countries have been unfairly targeted by the US administration under President Donald Trump.
Prime Minister Modi in his remarks, after his hour-long meeting with President Xi, gave a pointed account of the areas that can serve as spring board for their mutual cooperation and the role they can play in getting the things right. It is very important in the times when the world is riddled with so many conflicts , prominent among being the Russian-Ukraine War, which is more than three and a half year old and nearly two-year -old Israel- Palestine conflict.
The two leaders were also clear that the pending border issue will not be allowed to cloud progress in the bilateral relations. There is the boundary issue that has plagued the relations between two countries. Despite this, boundary agreements will not impede the work that the two leaders proposed to carry forward.
The statement issued by Ministry of External Affairs on the outcome of the all-important meeting promises lot of hope. It stated that both leaders welcomed the positive momentum and steady progress in bilateral relations since their last meeting in Kazan in October 2024. They reaffirmed that the two countries were development partners and not rivals , and that their differences should not turn into disputes. A stable relationship and cooperation between India and China and their 2.8 billion peoples on the basis of mutual respect , mutual interest and mutual sensitivity are necessary for the growth and development of the two countries as well as for a multi-polar and a multi-polar Asia benefitting the trends of the 21st century.
Prime Minister Modi, the statement said, underlined the importance of peace and tranquility in the border areas for continued development of bilateral relations . Modi and XI also noted with satisfaction the successful disengagement last year and the maintenance of peace and tranquility along the border areas since then. “They also expressed commitment to a fair , reasonable , and mutually acceptable resolution of the boundary question proceeding from the political perspective of their overall bilateral relations and the long-term interests of the two peoples . They recognized the important decisions taken by the two Special Representatives in their talks earlier this month, and agreed to further support their efforts.”
This offers a deep dive into the course of the relations between the two countries would take in future. That means that all the boundary disputes , which had emerged during the course of high-tension at Line of Actual Control in eastern Ladakh would be put to rest. The issue of the LAC and its demarcation will be taken in a fair manner in which the militaries and diplomats will be involved.
In short, it can be concluded that Indo-China relations are set to move to the next level.