Modi had extended the hand of friendship in Mahabalipuram, Jinping betrayed him; How did China’s attitude weaken after 5 years?

India and China have signed an agreement to end the four-year-long military standoff on their disputed border area. The move comes as relations between the two countries reached their lowest level in decades following the violent clash in Ladakh’s Galwan Valley in 2020. Indian Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar said that this agreement indicates that “the process of disengagement with China has been completed.” Along with this, China also confirmed this and said that it will “work with India to effectively implement this plan.”

Modi extended hand of friendship to Ahmedabad and Mahabalipuram

India has always been vocal about good relations with its neighboring countries. But under the guise of India’s trust, neighbors like China and Pakistan have often been cheating. First in Ahmedabad and then in Mahabalipuram, Prime Minister Narendra Modi welcomed Chinese President Xi Jinping wholeheartedly, but despite this, China betrayed India. The meetings of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping in Ahmedabad and Mahabalipuram were organized with the aim of strengthening relations between India and China. The main objective of these meetings was to improve trade, cultural, and diplomatic relations between the two countries.

When Xi Jinping visited India in 2014, Prime Minister Narendra Modi welcomed him in Ahmedabad. This was Xi Jinping’s visit to India after Modi became Prime Minister, and was aimed at improving trade and diplomatic ties between the two countries. Modi took him to Sabarmati Ashram and other historical places in Ahmedabad and introduced him to the cultural heritage of India. The pictures of both the leaders swinging were much discussed.

Subsequently, in 2019, the second informal meeting of the two leaders was held in Mahabalipuram, Tamil Nadu. It is known as “Chennai Connect”. The objective of this meeting was to increase dialogue and strengthen cooperation to resolve issues like border disputes. Mahabalipuram was selected because it is a historical site and a symbol of ancient trade and cultural relations between China and India. Just a few months after this meeting, China stabbed India in the back and the Galwan Valley clash took place.

History of India-China border dispute

The border dispute between India and China is not a new issue. This dispute is decades old, and its main reason is the 3,488 km long Line of Actual Control (LAC) which is the de facto border between the two countries. The range is divided into three regions – the western region (Ladakh), the central region (Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh), and the eastern region (Arunachal Pradesh).

India-China war of 1962

There was a brief but devastating war between the two countries in 1962, in which China captured Aksai Chin in the western sector. This war was mainly due to the ambiguity of the border line. Under the leadership of Chairman Mao, China wanted to settle the border dispute in Ladakh and Arunachal Pradesh by force. Therefore this border problem became the cause of war.

Clashes of 1967 and 1987

There were clashes between the two countries in Sikkim in 1967 and in Arunachal Pradesh in 1987. Although these skirmishes did not escalate into a large-scale conflict, they continued to create tension between the two countries.

1993 and 1996 agreements

After these agreements, many steps were taken to maintain peace on the border between India and China. It was said in these agreements that both the countries will reduce the deployment of troops on the border and will try to resolve the border dispute through talks.

Doklam (2017) and Galwan (2020) tensions

In 2017, tensions between the two countries increased in Doklam, bordering Bhutan, when Indian and Chinese soldiers came face to face. However, this dispute was resolved after diplomatic talks. But in 2020, there was a violent clash in the Galwan Valley of Ladakh in which 20 Indian soldiers were martyred. After this, continuous talks continued between the two countries at military and diplomatic level.

Now the question is why the agreement between India and China was announced now? Experts believe that the BRICS summit is the main reason behind this.

How did China’s attitude weaken after 5 years?

1. Diplomatic pressure and BRICS conference

Both India and China want stability on the border keeping in mind the rapidly increasing global challenges and their respective regional interests. It was not right for the economy and strategic position of both the countries to maintain tension on the border for a long time. This agreement has come at a time when Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping are scheduled to meet in Kazan city of Russia for the BRICS summit. This conference is important for both India and China, as both countries are trying to strengthen their positions on global economic and security issues at this forum.

2. Impact on business

China has long been one of India’s top two trading partners along with the US. In 2023 and 2024, it was India’s largest trading partner. Bilateral trade between India and China was $118.4 billion. Furthermore, China remains India’s largest source of goods and the largest supplier of industrial products ranging from telecom hardware to raw materials for the Indian pharmaceutical industry.

Reducing tensions is also convenient for China as it seeks to expand its global influence through multilateral fora, including BRICS. Many Chinese companies are struggling to do business in India after 2020. Because India tightened investment norms and banned popular Chinese apps. Now these Chinese companies are hoping to restart relations. Following the events of 2020, India had imposed stringent restrictions on Chinese investment and visas.

3. China’s internal situation

China faces several challenges on its domestic front, including economic slowdown and regional instability. In such a situation, China also wants to focus on internal problems by reducing tensions with its neighboring countries.

4. India’s strategic position

India is currently strengthening its relations with America and other western countries, hence wants to avoid any kind of military confrontation with China so that it can focus on its economy. Besides, India also wants stability in Asia as per its strategic interests.

the way forward

Despite this agreement, the border dispute between India and China has not completely ended. There are still many disputed areas between the two countries, and there has been a long tradition of mistrust between the two countries. However, this agreement is an important step towards stabilizing relations between the two countries. Diplomatic and military talks between India and China will continue, but it remains to be seen whether this agreement can form a strong foundation towards long-lasting peace.