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China-India relations
ChinaDiplomacy

Tensions ease on China-India border amid changing geopolitical landscape

  • Troops have begun disengaging from frontier in western Himalayas after protracted stand-off, Chinese defence ministry says
  • Shared concerns have ‘reinforced common interests’ and the nations have managed to avoid escalation while trade soars, according to analyst

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An Indian Army convoy carrying reinforcements and supplies travels towards Leh through Zoji La, a high mountain pass bordering China in Ladakh, India, in June 2021. Photo: TNS
Cyril Ip
Tensions are easing between China and India as their troops pull back from the Gogra-Hotsprings frontier in the western Himalayas, amid a changing geopolitical landscape as Russia comes under pressure from the West.

The two Asian giants had been locked in a stand-off since at least four Chinese and 20 Indian soldiers were killed in clashes in the Galwan area of Ladakh two years ago.

China’s defence ministry on Friday said both sides had begun disengaging on Thursday. It follows 16 rounds of talks between military officials from the two sides since the clashes in June 2020.

Both China and India have maintained economic ties with Russia amid Western sanctions over its invasion of Ukraine, and analysts expect more common ground to emerge.
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According to A.B. Abrams, an expert on East Asian security at the University of London, external risks faced by the neighbouring countries have brought them closer. He pointed to China and India taking part in the week-long Vostok 2022 war games led by Russia that ended on Wednesday.

“The war in Ukraine, and Western pressure for both countries to depart from their strict neutral position, and common concerns regarding threats to the world economy should conflict be initiated elsewhere – for example in the Taiwan Strait – have reinforced common interests of the two defensive-oriented Asian powers,” Abrams said.

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The Russian oil market, burdened by sanctions, has also seen surging demand from India and China, with customs data suggesting that it may offset the loss of sales to Europe.

“The two have effectively managed to avoid escalation, while their trade volumes – particularly Indian imports from China – continued to soar,” Abrams said, noting that New Delhi had included Huawei Technologies in its 5G roll-out, despite Washington’s opposition.
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