CIAO DATE: 11/03

A Thaw in India–China Relations

Pramit Mitra

The South Asia Monitor
Number 62
September 01, 2003

The Center for Strategic and International Studies

 

Abstract

The July 2003 state visit to China by Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee of India, the first by an Indian prime minister in a decade, represented a major step forward in New Delhi’s relations with its giant neighbor and competitor. Dramatic increases in bilateral trade set the stage for nine bilateral agreements covering trade, education, easing of visa regulations, and development projects. The artful language of the agreements suggested progress on the long-standing Sino–Indian border dispute. More substantial relations between India and China are good news for regional stability, although this relationship will remain wary, and China’s strong interest in Pakistan will continue to be a constraint.

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