In connection with the Russian attack on Ukraine, the circles of diplomacy are also in full swing in Asia. While the West is putting pressure on India due to its interest in Russia, the country received Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in New Delhi on Friday after a long ice age. It was the first visit of a Chinese leadership member to India since the escalation of the conflict on the disputed border between the two countries in the Himalayas.
The goal should, of course, be to get the relationship back on track. Beijing is reportedly looking to persuade Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to participate in the BRICS summit (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa) to be held in Beijing later this year. However, a prerequisite for normalization for India is the withdrawal of all Chinese troops from areas of tensions where both sides have been grappling with each other since May 2020.
Moreover, the talks should also concern the conflict in Eastern Europe. With the visit to New Delhi, China shows that it is not alone in its “neutral” position in the war in Ukraine and is encouraging India to exercise its own restraint. As the two largest countries, both China and India have not yet explicitly condemned the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
As a government that seeks ever closer ties with Western countries, pressure is mounting in New Delhi to reconsider India’s position. Earlier this week, US President Joe Biden told businessmen that India’s stance on the conflict was the only “slightly shaky” position among America’s allies. It was particularly surprising that India also accepted Russia’s offer to buy Russian oil at reduced prices.
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But New Delhi’s good relations with Moscow date back to the Soviet era. Especially in increasing strategic rivalry with China, India relies heavily on Russian weapons. “China, not Russia, is still the greatest threat,” commented the Hindustan Times on Friday. She warned that friends of the “free world” may turn their backs on India at a time when India needs their help most. “India is feeling the heat, there is no doubt about it,” US South Asia expert Michael Kugelman told the BBC. A lack of willingness to engage carries a higher diplomatic risk than in the past.
Visits to Afghanistan and Pakistan
On the other hand, New Delhi is reluctant to return to normal with Beijing. This was also reflected in the way Wang Yi was received in New Delhi. The visit, as usual, has not been officially announced. There was still a long time to confirm when the Indian press reported Thursday night that the Chinese Foreign Minister had landed in New Delhi. Hours later, India’s Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar tweeted a photo of him with Wang Yi ahead of their meeting in New Delhi on Friday. There was no meeting with Narendra Modi, whom the Indian press was demanding from the Chinese side.
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To this end, Wang Yi previously met with Indian National Security Adviser Ajit Doval. Both are responsible for the border issue as Special Representatives. The talks were said to have taken place in a friendly atmosphere, the broadcaster NDTV said. Accordingly, India has requested a large-scale withdrawal as soon as possible. In fact, forces from both sides have withdrawn from the Line of Actual Control (LAC) at certain locations. But thousands of soldiers still fight each other elsewhere. Recently, on March 11, the commanders of both sides met in a border town for the 15th round of talks. The conversations remained fruitless.
The Chinese Foreign Minister also visited Pakistan and Afghanistan ahead of India, and traveled to Nepal on Friday. A comment by Wang Yi at a meeting of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation in Pakistan caused irritation in India. China has “the same hopes” as the Islamic nations in the split Indian-Pakistani region of Kashmir, Wang Yi said. New Delhi has been criticized for depriving India of the Indian-controlled part of the region of its autonomy status. New Delhi dismissed Wang Yi’s statement as an interference in his internal affairs. Other countries “have nothing to say” on this.