New Delhi: As India and China mark 75 years of diplomatic ties, Chinese President Xi Jinping has called for a “cooperative” tango between the two Asian giants, while India says it is ready to walk the path – which may be a “difficult one” – to rebuild ties.The milestone comes five months after Xi and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi met and agreed to end the military stand-off in eastern Ladakh.In a sign of improving ties, the leadership exchanged messages – Xi with President Droupadi Murmu and Chinese Premier Li Qiang with Modi.In the evening, foreign secretary Vikram Misri attended a grand reception hosted by the Chinese embassy in Delhi as the chief guest.The contrast with the 70th anniversary in 2020 was stark. Back then, India and China had planned a series of events to mark the occasion, but the celebrations were disrupted first by the COVID-19 pandemic and then by the military stand-off in April-May, which led to the first fatal border clash in 40 years in July 2020.While the meeting between Xi and Modi was held before the US presidential elections, it stands out against the backdrop of global uncertainty triggered by President Donald Trump’s stance on tariffs and geopolitical issues.In his message, Xi called for a “cooperative pas de deux of the dragon and the elephant,” saying it would “completely serve the fundamental interests of the two countries and peoples”.He emphasised that both nations should “view and handle” their ties from a “strategic and long-term perspective” and find ways to coexist peacefully, build mutual trust and pursue shared development.He also underscored the need to “push forward world multipolarisation and democracy in international relations”.Modi, in his message – according to an excerpt shared by the Chinese ambassador – stated that progress in India-China ties would contribute not only to global stability and prosperity but also to the emergence of a multipolar world.He expressed hope that the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations would usher in a period of healthy and stable development.However, the Indian side did not release the congratulatory letters.Misri’s presence at the reception hosted by Chinese ambassador Xu Feihong further reflected the steady recalibration of ties.Alluding to the four-year-old military standoff, Misri noted that bilateral relations had gone through a “difficult phase” in recent years. However, he credited the guidance of both countries’ leaders and the sustained efforts of political, military and diplomatic channels for maintaining communication and resolving several border issues.“This too holds a lesson for us, which is that peace and tranquillity in the border areas are critical for the smooth development of our overall bilateral relations,” he said.Earlier, in his remarks, Xu reiterated Beijing’s position, stating that one should “never allow bilateral relations to be defined by the boundary question”.While differences remained over the role of the border conflict in the relationship, New Delhi appeared intent on moving forward.“The road forward may be a difficult one, but it is one that we are prepared to walk. And it is on the basis of the steps that we have already taken in the last five months that we have seen promising beginnings, which we should turn into tangible benefits for the people of our two countries,” Misri said.Among the first steps toward resuming “practical cooperation”, he noted, would be the revival of the Mansarovar Yatra this year.India’s next priorities included cooperation on trans-boundary rivers and direct air services.China’s checklist, as outlined by Xu, included the “resumption of direct flights, visa facilitation, pilgrimage to the sacred mountain and lake of Xizang [Beijing’s name for Tibet] and resident journalists.”Misri stressed that India sought to “use this occasion of the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations as an opportunity to rebuild India-China ties”.He underscored a threefold approach – “mutual respect, mutual sensitivity and mutual interests” – as the foundation for restoring relations.China, for its part, had its own version of ‘mutuals.’“We should uphold the principles of mutual respect, mutual understanding, mutual trust, mutual accommodation and mutual accomplishment,” Xu asserted.
