A cautious thaw is underway in India–China relations, marked by renewed bilateral exchanges since the Kazan Summit in late 2024. This year has already seen progress on visa relaxations, people-to-people ties, and the resumption of direct flights, alongside ongoing trade and economic talks.

Yet, experts warn that trust remains scarce. Despite troop disengagement at certain points along the Line of Actual Control, both countries continue to deploy nearly 60,000 soldiers each on the frontier, keeping the peace fragile. Strategic frictions persist over issues such as Pakistan, the South China Sea, and influence across South Asia.

Still, necessity is driving both nations closer. China offers unmatched expertise in manufacturing, infrastructure, and frontier technologies, while India represents a vast and stable market. Analysts suggest that a functional economic partnership, even if limited, could reshape not just bilateral ties but also regional stability in Asia.

As multipolarity reshapes global order, India and China appear to be engaging from pragmatism rather than trust, accepting that permanent allies or rivals are illusions in an era where national interest dictates fluid partnerships.

📌 Source: Opinion by Harsh V. Pant (Vice President, Observer Research Foundation) and Atul Kumar (Fellow, China Studies, ORF), originally published in The Hindu.