India and China hail warming ties amid Trump-induced geopolitical shake-up

In the midst of a global geopolitical shakeup caused by Donald Trump's tariff regime, India's prime minister and China's foreign minister have agreed to resume trade and other ties and work toward resolving the long-running Himalayan border dispute. They have also hailed "steady" progress in their countries' tense relationship. China's foreign ministry said that the two sides agreed to resume direct flights, which was a promise made in January. They also agreed to give journalists visas and make business and cultural exchanges easier. India's prime minister, Narendra Modi, expressed "respect for each other's interests and sensitiveness" on social media, while China's foreign ministry stated that the two nations had entered a "steady development track" and should "trust and support" one another. As other US statecraft tools are discarded, Trump's tariffs take the place of diplomacy. Find out more The top diplomat from China, Wang Yi, came to Delhi before Modi was supposed to visit Beijing in October to meet with Xi Jinping, the leader of China. Modi will travel to China for the first time since 2018. When a border dispute in the remote Himalayas turned deadly in 2020, relations between the two nuclear powers fell precipitously. As the worst violence between the neighbors in decades resulted in the official deaths of 20 Indian and four Chinese soldiers, their soldiers engaged in hand-to-hand combat. In an effort to calm things down, the two sides have held a number of talks since then. In October of last year, Modi and Xi met for the first time in five years in Russia. Although they have agreed to a pact regarding border patrols and withdrawn additional forces, both sides have continued to fortify their borders. On Wednesday, the Indian foreign ministry reported that Wang and Ajit Doval, the country's national security adviser, discussed "de-escalation, delimitation, and boundary affairs." The discussion was described as an agreement to "explore the possibility of advancing boundary demarcation negotiations," according to Chinese state media. "The setbacks we experienced over the past few years were not in the best interests of the people of our two countries," the statement reads. Wang stated on Monday, "We are encouraged to see the stability that is now restored in the borders." According to India, Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, the country's foreign minister, raised concerns regarding China's plans to construct the world's largest hydropower project—a massive dam on the Yarlung Tsangpo river in Tibetan territory—which Delhi is concerned will have an impact on communities and areas downstream. As Donald Trump's unprecedented trade tariffs continue to shake up the global order, the thawing of relations between Delhi and Beijing comes as a result. Fellow at the Taiwan-Asia Exchange Foundation Sana Hashmi stated that efforts to stabilize the India-China relationship were aided and accelerated by the US president's tariffs and the perception of a diminished US presence in Indo-Pacific partnerships. However, the two still had "fundamental differences." Hashmi stated to the Guardian, "Trump's policies will not change the nature of India-China relations and core security issues, and the Indo-Pacific framework will continue to shape regional dynamics." "For the time being, managing tensions with China and navigating turbulent waters with the US is India's top priority." Wang will travel to Pakistan, a close ally of China but a rival of India, following India. Beijing wanted to "enhance friendly cooperation with both countries," according to the foreign ministry of China.