Border Peace Key To India–China Ties, Says S Jaishankar
However, the minister stressed that the Galwan Valley clashes were not the only challenge in the India–China relationship.
Foreign Minister S Jaishankar has reaffirmed that peace along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) remains the foundation of India’s relationship with China.
Speaking with NDTV’s CEO and Editor-in-Chief Rahul Kanwal at the Hindustan Times Leadership Summit, the minister said that border areas have remained “stable” following last year’s diplomatic engagement between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping.
Jaishankar recalled the Oct. 24, 2024, meeting between the two leaders, where both sides reached “an understanding on the last set of friction points.” Since then, he noted, patrolling patterns have “mostly resumed” and are “taking place smoothly,” indicating a positive turn after years of heightened tension.
“The key point which we made—that peace and tranquillity in border areas is a prerequisite for good relations—is being maintained and built upon,” Jaishankar said, underlining that any improvement in bilateral ties depends on stability at the border.
However, the minister stressed that the Galwan Valley clashes were not the only challenge in the India–China relationship. “There are issues about trade, investment, competition, subsidies, and transparency; we are trying to work on these,” he added, pointing to structural tensions that remain unresolved.
"No Country Has a Veto on India’s Choices"
Jaishankar also addressed India’s broader foreign policy positioning, particularly in the context of New Delhi’s ties with Moscow. With Russian President Vladimir Putin recently visiting India, questions have been raised about how this influences India’s relations with other global powers, especially the United States.
The minister pushed back against any such suggestion. He asserted that India’s relationship with Russia has been “the biggest and steadiest” despite global geopolitical volatility. “It’s unreasonable for any country to have a veto on India’s relations with another country,” he said, reinforcing India’s independent foreign policy stance.
He also cautioned against relying on Western commentary for an objective reading of Russia or of high-level visits such as Putin’s. The minister said the recent engagement with Moscow was part of a larger effort to “reimagine relationships” in a rapidly changing world order.
A Balancing Act in a Complex Geopolitical Landscape
Jaishankar’s remarks highlight India’s dual-track diplomacy—firm on border security with China while maintaining strategic autonomy in global partnerships. With the border areas relatively calm, New Delhi appears intent on stabilising ties with Beijing, even as it strengthens long-standing and emerging partnerships simultaneously.
The foreign minister’s comments underscore a consistent message: India’s foreign policy will remain guided by national interests, not external pressure, and peaceful borders remain central to any meaningful progress with China.
