External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar on Wednesday acknowledged that India and China will continue to have differences in the foreseeable future, but emphasized that these should not escalate into conflict.
His remarks came a day after an Indian delegation met with Chinese officials in Beijing for discussions on cross-border cooperation during the 33rd meeting of the Working Mechanism for Consultation & Coordination on India-China Border Affairs (WMCC).
“Differences Should Not Become Disputes”
Speaking at an event in New Delhi alongside Kyung-wha Kang, President of the Asia Society, Jaishankar underscored India’s approach to managing ties with China.
“We have basically made two points, which is that differences should not become disputes, and that competition should not become conflict. We do compete on many issues, but that doesn’t mean there should be conflict between us. We are very realistic about it,” he said.
Addressing the 2020 Galwan Valley clash, where 20 Indian soldiers lost their lives, Jaishankar stated that the incident marked a severe disruption in bilateral relations.
“Between India and China, at least in the foreseeable future, there will be issues. But there are ways of addressing those issues. And what happened in 2020 was not the way to address those issues,” he said.
The border standoff had frozen relations between the two countries, affecting trade, technology cooperation, air travel, and people-to-people exchanges. However, in October 2024, both nations reached a breakthrough agreement on patrolling the friction points along the Line of Actual Control (LAC), ending a four-year diplomatic impasse.
“We feel that since October, the relationship has seen some improvement. Step by step, we are trying to undo some of the damage caused by the 2020 incident,” Jaishankar noted.
He reaffirmed that the Galwan Valley clash was a clear violation of written agreements between the two countries.
“It wasn’t just the bloodshed. It was the disregard of written agreements. This isn’t a grey area. The departure from the agreed terms was very sharp and very substantial,” he stated.
India-China Talks Focus on Rebuilding Ties
After the latest WMCC meeting in Beijing, India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) described the discussions as being held in a “positive and constructive atmosphere”. The two sides reviewed the situation along the LAC and exchanged views on resuming cross-border cooperation.
Among the key outcomes:
- Discussions on trans-border rivers and the resumption of the Kailash-Mansarovar Yatra in 2025
- Efforts to facilitate more people-to-people exchanges, including direct flight connectivity and increased interaction between media and think tanks
- Plans for celebrating the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations between India and China
On Wednesday, Gourangalal Das, Joint Secretary (East Asia) at India’s Ministry of External Affairs, led the Indian delegation in Beijing. He met with Liu Jinsong, Director General of the Department of Asian Affairs at China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs to discuss steps toward stabilizing ties.
The MEA noted that both sides agreed to gradually resume dialogue mechanisms to address each other’s priorities and work toward a more stable and predictable relationship.
Modi and Xi Seek to Rebuild Trust
Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently expressed optimism about India-China relations, stating that “trust, enthusiasm, and energy” should return to bilateral ties.
In 2024, Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping met on the sidelines of the BRICS summit in Russia, marking their first formal talks since 2020. Both leaders agreed to boost communication and cooperation, while focusing on preventing differences from escalating into disputes.
While significant challenges remain, India and China are now exploring pathways to rebuild engagement, with border stability, trade cooperation, and diplomatic dialogue emerging as key priorities.