India – China Special Representatives’ Dialogue

General Studies Paper -2

Context

• Recently India-China held the 24th round of India-China Special Representative talks.

Key Outcomes of the Dialogue

• Trade and Connectivity:
  • Resumption of direct flights between India and China, facilitation of visas for tourists, businesses, media, and others.
  • Re-opening of border trade through Lipulekh Pass, Shipki La Pass, and Nathu La Pass.
  • Facilitation of trade and investment flows, with China addressing India’s key concerns such as fertilisers, rare earths, tunnel boring machines.
• People-to-People Engagement:
  • Resumption of Kailash Mansarovar Yatra and discussion on cultural exchanges.
  • Plan to hold the 3rd High-Level Mechanism on People-to-People Exchanges in India in 2026.
• Trans-Border Rivers Cooperation:
  • China agreed to share hydrological data during emergency situations.
  • India flagged concerns about China’s mega dam construction on the Yarlung Tsangpo (Brahmaputra).

Significance of the Visit

• The year 2025 marks the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between India and China and both sides committed to commemorating this milestone with renewed cooperation.
• India–China Reset: The rapprochement comes after years of military and diplomatic freeze post-2020 clashes.
• The Kazan meeting in 2024 between PM Modi and President Xi Jinping is seen as a turning point.
• Geopolitical Backdrop: The rapprochement is significant as India faces deteriorating trade ties with the U.S., following recent tariffs imposed by the USA.
• Multipolarity Push: Both India and China emphasised the need for a multipolar world order, reflecting a shared interest in resisting unilateralism and Western dominance.

Challenges Ahead

• Boundary issues: Despite mechanisms, the fundamental border dispute remains unresolved.
• Trust Deficit: Despite stabilisation, the Galwan incident and repeated border violations since 2013 (Depsang, Doklam, Pangong Tso) keep Indian policymakers wary.
• China’s Activities on Brahmaputra: India remains cautious about ecological and security impacts of mega dam projects.
• Global Alignments: India’s strategic balancing between the U.S., Russia, and China remains delicate.
• China–Pakistan Factor: India remains concerned about China’s closeness with Pakistan, especially under the China–Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) framework.

Way Ahead

• Advance Border Dialogue: Prioritise early progress on boundary delimitation and phased de-escalation at the LAC to ensure lasting peace and stability.
• Balanced Economic Cooperation: Trade and investment flows should be mutually beneficial, avoiding over-dependence.
• Transparency on Rivers: Build trust through open data-sharing and cooperation on trans-boundary water projects to safeguard ecological and security interests.
• Strengthen Multilateral Cooperation: Leverage forums like SCO, BRICS, and G20 to promote multipolarity, global governance reforms, and the interests of the Global South.

Concluding remarks

• India–China relations are at a cautious but promising juncture. While structural challenges like the unresolved border persist, recent agreements mark a constructive reset.
• Guided by mutual respect and sensitivity, stable ties between the two Asian giants could contribute significantly to regional peace, economic revitalisation, and the shaping of a multipolar world order.