EAM Jaishankar avers future of India-China ties will be determined by 'state of border'

External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishanakar, on Monday, said that the "state of the border" will determine the state of the India-China relationship. The critical remarks from Jaishankar came at the launch of the Asia Society Policy Institute in New Delhi, where he spoke about the India-China relationship and the lingering military standoff between the two countries in eastern Ladakh at the Line of Actual Control (LAC). 

"Much of the future of Asia depends on how relations between India and China develop in the foreseeable future," he said.

Jaishankar underscored that the return of India-China ties to a positive trajectory and keeping them sustainable will depend on three factors: mutual sensitivity, mutual respect and mutual interest and added the current status is already known to all. The relations between the two nations started deteriorating in mid-June 2020 when the troops of both sides engaged in a standoff at several friction points in eastern Ladakh.

"For [India-China] ties to return to a positive trajectory and remain sustainable, they must be based on the three mutuals: mutual sensitivity, mutual respect, and mutual interest," he said.

"Their current status is, of course, well known to all of you. I can only reiterate that the state of the border will determine the state of the relationship," he added.

Since the stand-off began, both countries engaged in several rounds of high-level military talks but are yet to make any breakthrough in ending the stand-off. The last round of India-China high-level military talks took place last month but failed to ease the deadlock.

Jaishankar underscores mutual respect is a key to prosper

Notably, the remarks from Jaishankar on ties between both countries came days after China violated the border pacts with New Delhi, casting a shadow on the bilateral ties. During the event, he asserted that the relationship cannot be a one-way street and that there has to be mutual respect.

"Asia's prospects and challenges are today very much dependent on developments in the Indo-Pacific. In fact, the concept itself is a reflection of divided Asia, as some have a vested interest in keeping the region less cohesive and interactive. That the global commons and the international community are better served by collaborative endeavours like the Quad apparently leaves them cold," Jaishankar said in his address at the Asia Society.

Three shockers of economy

"Developing even a basic strategic consensus in Asia is, therefore, clearly a formidable task. As the international order evolves, this desire to selectively retain elements of the 1945 situation while transforming others - and we see that in the UN as well - complicates world politics," EAM Jaishankar added. 

Further, while speaking about the economic situation, he claimed that the "COVID-19 pandemic, Ukraine conflict and climatic disturbance" came as "three shockers" that impacted the evolution of the Asian economy and emphasised the contribution that rising Asia can make to the world order.

"As the most dynamic region beyond the West, its successes can inspire the rest of the Global South. Indeed, it is leading the process of global rebalancing through its endeavours," he noted.

According to Jaishankar, India espouses a cooperative, inclusive and consultative approach to international relations. Also, he claimed New Delhi believes that multipolarity, rebalancing, fairer globalization and reformed multilateralism are crucial for the progress of Asia. Our diplomacy is accordingly shaped by this belief," he said.

Image: @DrSJaishankar/Twitter