00:00The crucial bilateral meetups taking place between Prime Minister Modi and President Shri Jingping.
00:05Now, the Ministry of External Affairs has come out to issue a statement on the Modi-shi bilateral
00:10that's taken place only a few hours ago.
00:13The MEA has stated, and I quote,
00:15leaders agreed to resolve border issues.
00:18This is one of the key points that's come in as we speak.
00:22They've also said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has underlined the importance of peace and tranquility
00:28on the border areas for continued development of bilateral relations.
00:32The two leaders have noted the satisfaction of the successful disengagement last year
00:37and the maintenance of peace and tranquility along the border areas since then.
00:42There are several other key points that have been made in this very statement
00:45which we will take a deep dive into as my colleague Geeta Mohan joins us on the broadcast to decode it further.
00:52Geeta, before I get into the very aspect of border issue
00:58which we've been discussing at length since morning, ever since the meeting was to take place,
01:04there is one point that I want to bring both our viewers' attention to as well as yours at this point
01:10is the fact that Prime Minister has noted that India and China both pursue a strategic autonomy
01:15and their relations should not be seen through a third country lens.
01:19Moreover, the two leaders have deemed it necessary to expand common ground
01:24on bilateral, regional and global issues and challenges
01:27like terrorism and fair trade in multilateral platforms.
01:31This is a very key point given that it not only speaks of autonomy of both countries
01:37ensuring autonomy of both India and China
01:39but it also circles around terrorism which was a key subject matter when we speak of China.
01:44Well, absolutely. The Indian side very clear sources have told India today
01:51that Prime Minister Modi during his conversations with President Xi Jinping
01:57raised the issue of terrorism very emphatically.
02:00Now that's very important.
02:02Yes, both sides have been focusing on the issue of mutual trust, mutual respect
02:10but the fact of the matter is that at the end of the day, the two sides have to work beyond just talk,
02:17beyond just rhetoric and we are yet to see the Chinese side really walk the talk on whatever they have said.
02:24For now, the border remains calm but nobody has forgotten Galwan.
02:30So, at this point in time, while the statements have come in and we are looking at some forward movement,
02:36no expectations, the two sides want to work towards a space where they find common ground
02:45and are actually moving towards a working relationship.
02:51They have resolved to address the boundary question.
02:54They are looking at people-to-people connect where they are looking at visa facilitation yet again.
03:01Reiteration of the pilgrimage having begun, that is Kailash Mansar over Yatra.
03:06Bilateral investment is something that they want to see as expand rather than be curtailed
03:13which is what happened post Galwan.
03:15Both sides are looking at how to ensure fair trade
03:20but also more importantly, the issue of terrorism is again a very important aspect when it comes to the two sides
03:27and that's what is the focus of the talk this time around as well
03:32where Prime Minister Modi was rather emphatic.
03:35Then the two sides also discussed the issue of support for forums such as BRICS and SCO
03:42where we see a huge participation of Russia, India and China
03:47at a time when we are looking at massive tariff wars and a huge disruption globally.
03:53This is of rather importance where countries come together to find ways
04:00not just as an alternative but also as a space where unilateral decisions of a particular country
04:08we cannot further disrupt or create chaos in a working global order.
04:16The two sides have been engaged and are looking at further engagement.
04:20Prime Minister Narendra Modi not only had a bilateral meeting with President Xi Jinping
04:26he also met with the Premier of China, that is Mr. Kai Chi
04:32and again reiterating the desire to expand exchanges and improve relations.
04:38So these are areas of importance where both the countries are looking at stability
04:43in a multipolar world.
04:46The reiteration that you see from this meeting is not just of the two countries
04:52that have problems and are looking at forward movement
04:55but also India emphasizing the need for strategic autonomy.
04:59The fact that India should be allowed to and be able to engage countries
05:04that they see advantage for India itself.
05:11Whether it's China or for that matter
05:12the crucial meeting that will take place tomorrow
05:14that's India-Russia.
05:16So important development, important reiteration I would say
05:20but a reset is far from what we are looking at over here.
05:25A reset will only come about and it will be business as usual
05:29should there be absolute de-escalation at the border
05:33regarding the recent crisis during Galwan and post-Galwan.
05:38So a couple of points here.
05:39Whether the disengagement at this given point
05:42ends up becoming a full-blown de-escalation
05:44is something that we are waiting to watch at this point.
05:47But Geeta, you know, very important points that you've mentioned here
05:50when we speak of strategic autonomy and the reiteration by India
05:56of strategic autonomy, these two words come out to be very important
06:00so that when we speak of a multipolar world
06:04it shouldn't come out to a circumstance
06:07where China ends up replacing a certain country
06:10or rather a powerful nation in the West
06:14and doesn't take up that role in the East.
06:18Would you say that is what it translates to
06:20when we speak of the geopolitical landscape?
06:24Well, this is an important relationship.
06:28When you're looking at the geopolitical landscape itself
06:31at this point in time
06:32the relationship with China is a crucial one.
06:38Whether it's trade, the fact that China
06:41China is still the largest trading partner of India
06:43and is the largest trading partner
06:46of the United States of America as well.
06:48In fact, it's one of the largest trading partners
06:50of most countries including all of Europe.
06:54And that cannot be ignored
06:56when one is looking at the larger issue
06:58of how countries need to come together.
07:02You know, after the Galwan crisis
07:03or even after all the issues
07:06that countries in the West have had with China
07:09post-COVID, there was a need
07:12to look at supply chains,
07:14alternative supply chains,
07:15India, Vietnam were being considered.
07:18But we are still sometime away
07:21from becoming that alternative to China.
07:23And until the time that happens,
07:25it is not possible for India
07:28or for any country to absolutely ignore China.
07:31And that's a reality.
07:33But we are not coming,
07:34India is not engaging China
07:35from a position of disadvantage.
07:37India is engaging China
07:38from a position where
07:40both countries need each other.
07:42At this point in time,
07:43the tariff war is not just
07:45between India and the United States of America,
07:49it's between US and China as well.
07:52While there are trade talks
07:53that are taking place
07:54between countries
07:56with the United States of America,
07:58one has to wait and see
07:59whether there will be
08:00a conclusion of the trade talks
08:02with China before India.
08:04Now, that certainly will spell
08:05a lot of problems.
08:06But right now,
08:07we are also looking at
08:08how Russia, India, China,
08:10the countries that originally
08:13as an RIC bloc
08:15have engaged each other
08:17for years now.
08:18Will there be forward movement
08:20in cohesiveness
08:22that these countries show
08:23when it comes to multilateral agenda
08:26and multilateral interests?
08:28And in that,
08:29India is a major stakeholder
08:30as is China
08:31and so is Russia.
08:33So, SU, again,
08:35the major countries
08:36in this bloc
08:37are also Russia, China
08:39and then India as well.
08:41But then again,
08:42you know,
08:42you cannot take away
08:43from the fact
08:44that Prime Minister Modi
08:45was very, very clear
08:47about three things.
08:49Vishwas,
08:49samman,
08:50samveden shivata,
08:51which is mutual trust,
08:53mutual respect
08:54and sensitivity.
08:56Now, sensitivity
08:57is loaded here.
08:58It is not just to do
08:59with the fact
09:00that China has to look
09:02at the border issue
09:03with certain sensitivity
09:06and concerns
09:07that India has.
09:08It is so loaded
09:09because it talks about
09:10everything that is
09:11of concern to India
09:13and that China negates
09:15or ignores,
09:16which is not just
09:17a boundary question
09:18where we see
09:18transgressions
09:19time and again.
09:20It is Pakistan-occupied
09:22Kashmir
09:23through which
09:23the CPEC corridor runs.
09:25That's the China-Pakistan
09:26economic corridor.
09:27It is the eternal support
09:29to Pakistan
09:30irrespective of
09:31where Pakistan stands
09:32in the international order
09:34when it comes
09:34to abetting terrorism.
09:36It is blocking
09:37all the moves
09:38of India,
09:39the United Nations
09:39Security Council
09:40when it comes to terrorism.
09:42So while the two sides
09:43are talking about terrorism,
09:44while tomorrow
09:45the emphasis
09:46is going to be
09:47counter-terrorism
09:47under SCO
09:48which also has
09:49a RAPS forum
09:50the regional forum
09:52anti-terrorist structure,
09:54despite all of that,
09:57we will see
09:58a lot of problems
10:00in consensus
10:01because in that room
10:03exists Pakistan.
10:04And remember,
10:05even when there is
10:06a room
10:06where China
10:07and India
10:08are sitting,
10:09in that room also
10:10there is
10:11the existence
10:12of Pakistan,
10:14an entity
10:14that will always
10:15remain very close
10:16to China.
10:17So that sensitivity
10:18does not only
10:19have to do
10:19with boundary
10:20or border,
10:21it has to do
10:22with Pakistan
10:22as well.
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