Peace at Border Key to India-China Relations, Says Former Diplomat Veena Sikri

Ex-diplomat stresses that trust shattered by the 2020 Galwan clash still clouds bilateral ties; urges concrete steps for peace before trade and cooperation can move forward.

New Delhi, September 1: Former Indian diplomat Veena Sikri has underlined that peace and tranquillity along the India-China border remain the bedrock for any meaningful progress in bilateral ties. She cautioned that the trust deficit created by the Galwan Valley clash of 2020 continues to cast a long shadow over relations, making border stability the first and foremost condition for forward movement.

In a candid conversation with ANI, Sikri reflected on how the Galwan incident changed the very foundation of India-China engagement. “After 2020, when the Galwan incident took place, that was a big break in the trust factor between India and China. China, by the action they took in Galwan, broke that trust… Without peace and tranquillity at the border, no other aspect of the relationship can progress,” she said.

Her remarks gain significance in the backdrop of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit in Tianjin. During the meeting, Modi emphasised the critical importance of restoring peace in border areas to ensure sustained development in bilateral relations.

Sikri observed that the summit could be a turning point—if words translate into action. “If indeed the disengagement process is agreed upon and is successful, then it is a good sign. The Tianjin meeting is very important and significant, but it must be followed by concrete steps. Only then can the broader relationship flourish,” she noted.

The former envoy also sounded a word of caution regarding China’s potential role in India-Pakistan matters, stressing that New Delhi does not accept third-party mediation. “If China begins to echo what President Trump once claimed—that he could mediate between India and Pakistan—that will create a serious problem. For us, there can be no outside intervention,” she asserted.

Reflecting on the broader geopolitical dynamics, Sikri used a metaphor to capture the possibilities of cooperation: “The elephant and the dragon can dance, but only if sensitivities are acknowledged and respected.” She added that Russia has historically displayed a more nuanced understanding of India’s concerns, particularly with regard to Pakistan, making the Russia-India-China trilateral equation distinct from India’s bilateral challenges with Beijing.

As India and China explore the road ahead, Sikri’s message is clear—lasting peace at the border is not just a security requirement but the very foundation of trust and cooperation between two Asian giants.