Indian Foreign Minister, S. Jaishankar, met his Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi, at the G20 summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil on Nov. 18. They discussed the resumption of direct flights between India and China, which were suspended during the pandemic and have not yet resumed despite the lifting of COVID-19 regulations.
The Kailash Mansarovar pilgrimage leads to lake Mansarovar and Mount Kailash inside Tibet, which are considered sacred by Hindus, Tibetans, and others. It is also the origin of important trans-border rivers, including the Brahmaputra, which flows into India and Bangladesh. The resumption of the pilgrimage and river data sharing have been key points of discussion between India and China.
Former Indian intelligence official S.D. Pradhan noted that the resumption of direct flights is important for both countries, but mutual trust remains an issue. He also highlighted past instances where China withheld data sharing with India. India must remain cautious about potential risks in the relationship.
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The Indian External Affairs Ministry attributed these developments to the disengagement agreement on Oct. 21, which ended the Ladakh border confrontation that followed the 2020 Galwan conflict. The Ministry stated that the disengagement had contributed to peace and tranquility between the two countries.
‘New Starting Point’
The Chinese Foreign Ministry described the discussions as heralding a new beginning in the two countries’ bilateral relations and said it serves the fundamental interests of both countries.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian highlighted the recent meeting between President Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the BRICS summit in Kazan on Oct. 23. They announced that their representatives would work towards a mutually acceptable solution to the boundary question.
“China-India relations are now at a new starting point. This serves the fundamental interests of the peoples of the two countries, meets the expectations of Global South countries and is in line with the trend of history,” said Lin.
While the discussions signal a positive shift in relations, Pradhan advised caution in dealing with the Chinese regime due to their history of violating agreements.
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