The foreign ministers of India and China recently convened in New Delhi, marking a significant renewed effort to de-escalate tensions that have severely strained relations between the nuclear-armed Asian rivals following a five-year border standoff. India’s Foreign Minister, Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, welcomed his Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi, for discussions aimed at stabilizing a relationship that plummeted in 2020 after a deadly clash along their disputed Himalayan border. This violence, which resulted in the deaths of 20 Indian and four Chinese soldiers, was the worst in decades and led to a freeze in high-level political engagements, with both sides deploying tens of thousands of security forces to the border areas.

Despite the challenges, some progress has been made. Last year, both nations agreed to a pact on border patrols and withdrew additional forces from certain border regions. Jaishankar emphasized the need for de-escalation to foster positive momentum in bilateral ties, stating, “Having seen a difficult period in our relationship, our two nations now seek to move ahead. This requires a candid and constructive approach from both sides.” Wang Yi affirmed that peace and tranquility have been maintained along the borders and noted China’s allowance for Indian pilgrims to visit key sites in the Tibet autonomous region.

Wang Yi’s visit to India included further high-level talks. He met with India’s National Security Adviser Ajit Doval to discuss the future of the relationship and was scheduled to meet with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Key items on the agenda for these discussions were reducing troop numbers along the border and potentially resuming trade in the contested region. Wang expressed optimism, stating, “The setbacks we experienced in the past few years were not in the interest of the people of our two countries. We are heartened to see the stability that is now restored in the borders.” China’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Mao Ning, echoed this sentiment, expressing Beijing’s willingness to use Wang’s visit to properly manage differences and promote stable China-India relations, especially concerning peace and tranquility in border areas.

The current thaw between Beijing and New Delhi has roots in an October meeting between Prime Minister Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping at a summit of emerging economies in Russia, their first in-person conversation since 2019. Modi is also slated to visit China later this month for the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit, his first trip to the country in seven years. Earlier this year, President Xi metaphorically described the desired state of India-China relations as a “dragon-elephant tango,” symbolizing a harmonious dance between the two nations’ emblematic animals. Additionally, India’s external affairs minister visited Beijing recently, marking his first trip to China since 2020, further indicating a renewed engagement.

This renewed diplomatic push occurs amidst a complex geopolitical landscape. New Delhi’s ties with Washington are currently fraying, following U.S. President Donald Trump’s imposition of a 50% tariff on Indian goods, which includes a 25% penalty for purchasing Russian crude oil, effective August 27. India, a long-time ally seen as a counterbalance to China’s influence and part of the Quad security alliance with the U.S., Australia, and Japan, has shown no signs of backing down, instead signing more agreements to deepen economic cooperation with Russia.

Moreover, Trump’s renewed engagement with Pakistan, India’s arch-rival, has also encouraged New Delhi’s overtures to China. In June, Trump hosted Pakistan’s army chief and announced an energy deal to jointly develop Pakistan’s oil reserves, following claims of brokering a ceasefire between India and Pakistan after military strikes in May that saw Pakistan utilize Chinese-made military jets and missiles. Lt. Gen. D.S. Hooda, who led India’s Northern Command, highlighted China’s deep investment in Pakistan, noting, “you can’t have any expectation that Beijing will hold back support to Islamabad,” while also emphasizing India’s challenge of managing two potentially hostile neighbors. Manoj Joshi of the Observer Research Foundation added that despite some normalization, relations remain uneasy, and settling the boundary issue requires “political compromise at the highest political level,” as both countries are “still talking past each other when it comes to the border dispute.”