Tensions Rise Over Arunachal
While the frost in India-China relations has thawed somewhat, fresh tensions have emerged regarding Arunachal Pradesh. Against this backdrop, India’s National Security Advisor, Ajit Doval, is traveling to Beijing on Monday. There, he will hold a special representative-level meeting with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi.
Reports suggest that the border situation is likely to be the primary topic of discussion at this meeting, which begins on Tuesday. These special representative-level talks have been ongoing between the two nations since 2003 to resolve the border issue. Doval’s upcoming visit marks the 25th round of these talks; consequently, New Delhi attaches significant diplomatic importance to this meeting.
Ajit Doval Visits China Amidst Tensions Over Arunachal
Recent developments in Arunachal Pradesh have heightened the significance of Doval’s visit. China has previously renamed several locations within Arunachal Pradesh—moves that India has strongly opposed.
Most recently, Beijing objected when New Delhi designated 27 areas of Arunachal Pradesh as Indian territory in its official map. The Chinese Foreign Ministry labeled this act of naming as “illegal.” India has reiterated that Arunachal Pradesh is an integral part of the country and that renaming places cannot alter this reality. Doval’s visit to Beijing takes place amidst this ongoing border dispute.
However, despite border-related issues, there have been efforts to normalize bilateral relations over the past few months. Following the Galwan clash in 2020, India-China relations had remained at a standstill for a prolonged period. The situation began to shift after the meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping in Kazan, Russia, in 2024.
Since then, dialogue between the two nations has gradually increased. After a long hiatus, commercial exchanges have resumed via Nathu La in Sikkim, Shipki La in Himachal Pradesh, and Lipulekh in Uttarakhand. However, unresolved border issues remain a major hurdle in the relationship between the two nations.
External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar recently reiterated this point. Speaking at an event in Delhi, he emphasized that ensuring peace and stability in border areas is essential for maintaining good relations with China. According to him, the future trajectory of the bilateral relationship will largely depend on the situation at the border.
In other words, even if trade or diplomatic contacts increase, India is unwilling to consider relations fully normalized unless lasting peace is established at the border. Consequently, issues regarding de-escalation of border tensions and the restoration of mutual trust are likely to take center stage during the Doval-Wang meeting.
Furthermore, another significant diplomatic forum lies ahead: the BRICS summit scheduled to be held in Delhi. China is a key member of this group, and President Xi Jinping is expected to attend the summit. While Beijing has not yet officially confirmed his visit, both nations are keen on the possibility.
Should Xi attend, a meeting between him and Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the BRICS summit becomes a possibility. Diplomatic circles believe that Doval’s visit to Beijing a few weeks ago was not merely a procedural engagement; the current focus is on stabilizing the relationship by easing tensions along the border (Ajit Doval).
