EDITORIALS FROM 19^th Sep 2025

EDITORIAL 01

Should India overlook boundary issues while normalising ties with China?

https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/op-ed/should-india-overlook-boundary-issues-while-normalising-ties-with-china/article70067167.ece

Issue: India–China relations oscillate between cooperation and confrontation. While trade and multilateral engagement offer opportunities, the unresolved boundary question remains the core challenge. The recent Modi–Xi meeting at the SCO highlighted this dilemma.

Arguments in Favour of Overlooking Boundary Issues

Historical Precedent: Since Rajiv Gandhi’s 1988 visit, both countries agreed to normalise ties in other sectors while keeping the boundary issue aside.
Economic Engagement: China is India’s largest trading partner; stable ties could help reduce trade deficits and attract investment.
Regional Stability: Functional ties lower the risk of escalation, especially amidst Pakistan factor and great power competition (U.S.–China rivalry).
Border Agreements: The 2024 Border Patrol Agreement restored some patrolling rights and buffer zones, signalling pragmatic cooperation.

Arguments Against Overlooking Boundary Issues

Security Concerns: The Galwan clash (2020) showed that peace along the LAC cannot be taken for granted; Chinese infrastructure buildup in Tibet threatens India’s security.
Trust Deficit: China continues to treat India as a junior South Asian power, undermining parity.
Strategic Vulnerability: Ignoring boundaries may allow China to dictate terms in South Asia through trilaterals (China–Pakistan–Bangladesh, etc.).
Repeated Setbacks: Despite agreements in the 1990s, aggressive PLA actions demonstrate China’s reluctance to resolve the border issue permanently.

What needs to be done?

Dual Track Approach: Engage in trade and multilateral cooperation, but firmly pursue restoration of pre-2020 positions.
Strengthening Deterrence: Fortify LAC infrastructure and year-round deployment.
Strategic Autonomy: Diversify partnerships with Quad, ASEAN, EU to balance Chinese dominance.
Clear Messaging: Border peace must be the precondition for comprehensive normalisation.

India cannot afford to completely overlook boundary issues, as peace along the LAC is a minimum requirement for stable ties.

While pragmatic engagement with China is necessary for trade and regional stability, sustainable normalisation is possible only when security concerns are addressed.

EDITORIAL 02

Equalising primary food consumption in India