This refers to the article, “Resetting India-China ties” (April 30) by Abhishek Pratap Singh. It cannot be assumed that the ‘informal summit’ between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping in Wuhan, that apparently ended on a positive note, ‘solidified’ or ‘reset’ India-China relations. We cannot expect relations to improve overnight. It is an ongoing process. Hence, efforts must continue towards the normalisation of relations. Throughout his visit, the Prime Minister did not raise the Doklam episode (one had expected him to do so with nationalistic fervour) may be for a good reason. Perhaps he did not want to strike a dissonant note and felt that the voluntary offer of the hand of friendship was the right option as India had nothing to gain from ‘fight’ or ‘flight’.
Be that as it may, the attribution of the Doklam stand-off by Modi and Xi to their armies is hard to digest. That the militaries acted on their own and the way they did without political nod or backing, is hard to believe. With construction of watch-towers and helipads, there is now no chance of restoration of the status quo ante. It is to be hoped that ‘strategic guidance’ by the two leaders to their respective armies will cool down ‘operational tensions’ along the line of Control. Boundary dispute is a thorny issue and how best it can be resolved by diplomatic means should engage New Delhi and Beijing. Nevertheless, for all the bonhomie on display, Xi could not be persuaded to drop his objection to India’s entry into the Nuclear Suppliers Group. The Indian and Chinese leaderships should relegate geo-political rifts and give precedence to geo-economic opportunities for 40 per cent of humanity to unlock their potential.