(MENAFN- The Arabian Post)

By Nitya Chakraborty

The recent months have not been comfortable for India with its two neighbours Pakistan and India, but as regards the third most powerful neighbouring county China, th scenario has turned different. India-China ties which became bitter at the time of clashes in Galwan valley in 2020, started softening from last year and the process of normalization got more effective after the bilateral meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Chinese President Xi Jinping at the BRICS meeting in Kazan, Russia in October 2024. There are hopes in New Delhi that this normalization process may get further boost after the coming meeting between the two leaders at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit at Tianjin in China on August 31 and September 1.

Only on Wednesday, July 23, India announced resumption of tourist visas for Chinese nationals which were stopped since the 2020 clash. This was long overdue but the decision as also China's satisfaction at the outcome of India-China diplomatic talks on border situation, have created an environment for further improvement of bilateral relations in a situation of global turmoil. Already China has given permission for the Kailash Mansarovar yatra. This people to people approach agreed to by both governments has definitely prepared the base for a much bigger breakthrough in sorting out some of the other issues on which differences persist. The coming bilateral summit between Narendra Modi and Xi Jinping may give some positive direction to that end.

SCO dominated by China and Russia has presently ten members-China, Russia, India, Pakistan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Iran and Belarus. The observers are Iran, Turkey, Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, Mongolia, Qatar and UAE. China is hosting the SCO meeting for the fifth time and the most important thing is that Russian President Vladimir Putin is also expected to attend the August summit. That way, PM Modi can have a bilateral meeting with President Putin also. President Putin is scheduled to visit India by the end of this year. The SCO summit will give the Indian PM an opportunity to discuss India-Russia elations in the context of the latest global developments.

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As China sees SCO 2025 summit as a host, the Summit will stay true to its founding mission and carry forward the Shanghai Spirit. Mutual trust, mutual benefit, equality, consultation, respect for diversity of civilisations and pursuit of common development illustrate what a new type of international relations should be. The deliberations at the Summit will focus on the consolidation of the security of the member nations.

Interestingly, Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi hinted at USA without naming it by saying that a certain country puts its own interests over the international public good, undermining the common interests of the international community. The SCO should take the 80th anniversary of the founding of the United Nations (UN) as an opportunity to champion the common values of humanity, safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of member states, and work for a more just and equitable global governance system. The SCO declaration is expected to contain a charter for the next development decade.

On July 15 at a meeting with the SCO foreign ministers, President Xi Jinping said that China has always prioritised the SCO in its neighbourhood diplomacy and is committed to making the SCO more substantive and stronger, safeguarding regional security and stability, promoting the development and prosperity of member states, and building a closer community with a shared future.

Xi Jinping stressed that in the face of a turbulent and changing international landscape, the SCO must stay focused, remain confident, act efficiently and play a more proactive role in injecting greater stability and positive energy into the world. Xi is expected to have a meeting with President Putin also at the Tianjin Summit. Similarly, Indian PM Narendra Modi will have the opportunity to talk to President Putin also and discuss India-Russia relations in the context of latest global developments.

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Significantly, the Chinese media is taking a positive view of the India- China bilateral relations in recent days. The Chinese official daily Global Times said in its July 23 issue that the resumption, in June, of Indian pilgrims visiting Xizang Autonomous Region's“sacred mountain and lake” reflects the goodwill and reliability of the Chinese side. India's easing of tourism visa restrictions is also a natural, reciprocal step. Official sources indicate that relevant departments in both countries are working toward the resumption of direct air links, and the routes will reopen soon. Lifting unreasonable restrictions on Chinese students, scholars and journalists, as well as removing investment and operational barriers for Chinese companies in India, must also be prioritized without delay by the Indian side, says Global Times editorial.

According to GT, India's move is only a starting point. Therefore, while this“progress” is welcomed, it remains important to watch whether India will take more substantial steps in areas such as visa approval rates, tourist services and safety, and the possible relaxation of visa requirements going forward. India should do more to build mutual trust, bridge perception gaps, and foster goodwill among the two peoples.

The main issue in India-China relations is trust and perception. This can be tackled only at the highest level of the leadership of the two countries. If both Narendra Modi and Xi Jinping can initiate a process for further normalizing the bilateral relations, that will be a major event in the Asian diplomacy. (IPA Service )

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