India-China relations

2024 brought a thaw that is likely to deepen over the coming year, but a number of uncertainties threaten to limit progress.

The détente between India and China is beneficial for both sides, but there are several factors that could lead to future crises.

A high-level meeting between Indian and Chinese officials in Beijing is scheduled for later this month.

India must navigate a complex two-level game, balancing domestic demands with global strategic imperatives. But will China view India’s willingness to disengage as a sign of pragmatism or weakness? 

Some observers are flummoxed by India’s approaches to fostering order in the Indo-Pacific, yet its methods largely align with its outlook for a multipolar Indo-Pacific.

A spurt in high-level meetings has changed the mood in China-India diplomacy, but there are reasons for India to remain skeptical.

The first public reactions to the border agreement reflect a deep suspicion of New Delhi’s “cheap tricks” and fear that Beijing is being naive. 

The two sides have agreed on patrolling arrangements along their disputed border in the Himalayas.

Sri Lanka’s new President Anura Kumara Dissanayake will have to strike a deft balance between two regional powers.

Even if New Delhi and Beijing decide to collaborate on the economic front, it might not be enough to shift the needle on their relationship.

India does not lack potential, but on both the geopolitical and geoeconomic fronts it has yet to seize the moment.