India has signalled a significant recalibration in its foreign policy, with National Security Adviser (NSA) Ajit Doval describing relations with China as being on an “upward trend”. The remarks come at a time when New Delhi is facing mounting tariff pressures from United States President Donald Trump, raising questions about how India will balance its competing relationships with Washington, Beijing and Moscow.
Why is India signalling closer ties with China now?
Speaking in New Delhi ahead of talks with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, Doval said he was encouraged by the trajectory of bilateral ties in recent months. “In the last nine months, there has been an upward trend. Borders have been quiet, and there has been peace and tranquillity,” he noted.
The NSA attributed the progress to leadership-level dialogue, pointing to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s engagement with President Xi Jinping in Kazan last October. “Our bilateral engagements have been more substantial. A new environment has been created, which has helped us move ahead,” he said.
What message did China deliver?
On his first visit to India in three years, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi described the relationship as facing an “important opportunity for improvement and growth”.
Wang Yi emphasised that “a healthy and stable China–India relationship serves the fundamental and long-term interests of both of our countries,” while also positioning the partnership as one that developing nations expect to flourish.
According to Indian officials briefed on the talks, Beijing has assured New Delhi of supplies of fertiliser, rare earth minerals, and tunnel-boring machines. While China’s official readout made no mention of these commitments, Wang underscored that both sides must “regard each other as partners and opportunities, not as opponents or threats.”
Are past disputes truly behind India and China?
Relations between the Asian neighbours deteriorated sharply after a bloody border clash five years ago, in 2020, with military standoffs along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Galwan Valley dominating headlines.
However, confidence-building measures have gained pace since late 2023.
India has reinstated tourist visas for Chinese nationals, while China has relaxed restrictions on urea exports. Trade and investment conversations, particularly around technology transfer, are also quietly expanding.
Indian External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, who also met Wang Yi, said that both countries “seek to move ahead” after a “difficult period” and stressed that “differences must not become disputes, nor competition conflict”.
How does Trump’s tariff policy influence India’s outreach?
India’s renewed engagement with China comes as ties with the US show signs of strain. Despite initial optimism over a quick trade deal, Donald Trump’s tariff regime has introduced uncertainty into India–US relations.
Trump imposed a 25% tariff on Indian imports, while reiterating his self-styled moniker, the ‘Tariff King’. The levy came into effect on 7 August.
Later, the Trump administration — accusing New Delhi of ‘fuelling’ Russia’s war in Ukraine by purchasing discounted crude oil from Moscow — imposed an additional 25% secondary tariff on India, scheduled to take effect on 27 August.
Analysts say the growing urgency in New Delhi’s outreach to Beijing and Moscow reflects its desire to hedge against US unpredictability.
Wang, in turn, criticised “unilateral bullying” in the global order, urging China and India to work together to promote “multi-polarisation of the world” — a message widely interpreted as a counterpoint to Washington’s dominance.
What lies ahead for India and China?
According to Moneycontrol report, the Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi will also travel to Pakistan later this week, a reminder of Beijing’s continuing support for New Delhi’s rival. For PM Modi, the challenge remains balancing a cautious rapprochement with Beijing while managing longstanding strategic concerns.
Still, the diplomatic thaw appears to have momentum. With PM Modi expected to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Tianjin later this month, both capitals appear eager to showcase stability — even if uncertainties remain about the depth of their alignment.
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