"There Will Be Issues Between Big Countries, Big Neighbours": S Jaishankar On India-China Ties

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has said that differences between India and China are expected, given that they are large neighbouring countries. Speaking at the NDTV World Summit in New Delhi, Jaishankar said that while both countries have an interest in maintaining a workable relationship, several issues between them have to be addressed.

“Are there other issues? Yes, there are. I mean, between big countries, between big neighbours, there will be issues. So we've got to recognise that and address those issues,” the senior BJP leader said.

Jaishankar On India-China Border Dispute

During the discussion, Jaishankar was asked whether India's approach to resolving the boundary dispute with China had shifted. Responding to the question, he clarified that any final settlement would have to cover the entire boundary. However, he said discussions on specific areas could provide a starting point for progress.

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“For any settlement to happen, it will have to include the entire boundary. And I mean, it has never been any... I don't think there's a change of position in that sense. I mean, any settlement has to be across, but any discussion also, any concrete discussion has to begin somewhere, you know. I mean, there's got to be a starting point,” he said.

Border Peace Key To Normalising Ties

Jaishankar stressed that maintaining peace and tranquillity along the border had been a key principle guiding India-China relations since the 1980s. He said the two countries had established agreements and detailed procedures to manage border activities and prevent confrontations.

“We have had multiple agreements which were designed to reinforce the peace and tranquility in the border areas. There were very intricate procedures worked out for what happens when you do patrolling, how much distance do you keep, who does what, how do you signal, et cetera,” he added.

Photo Credit: NDTV

However, the situation changed in 2020 when peace and tranquillity were breached in several border areas, with violence and casualties reported in Galwan.

According to Jaishankar, these developments affected the broader relationship, including trade, political ties and civil society exchanges. He said restoring peace along the border had been necessary before relations could move towards greater normalcy, adding that the process would take time.

India And China Seek A More Stable Relationship

Jaishankar said both India and China recognised that maintaining a basic working relationship was in their respective national interests. He noted that the hostility following the Galwan clashes was understandable in the circumstances but did not serve either country's interests.

“Both we and China are agreed that it's in our respective national interests that we have, you know, a basic ability to deal with each other and to maintain a relationship, a very hostile, acrimonious relationship such as we saw after Galwan. I mean, that was understandable after Galwan, did not serve our interests,” he said.

He added that restoring normal relations would not resolve all outstanding issues, noting that India and China would need to recognise and address their differences.