The newly appointed Premier of the State Council of the People’s Republic of China, Mr. Li Keqiang, spoke to the Indian Prime Minister (PM) Dr Man Mohan Singh as per a Ministry of External Affairs Release on 15 March 2013. PM congratulated Mr. Li on his appointment and expressed a desire to work together with him to realize the full potential of the relationship between India and China. PM expressed satisfaction with the progress in bilateral relations in recent years and expressed confidence that they will expand further in the years ahead. Premier Li thanked PM and reaffirmed the significance of ties between India and China. He looked forward to working with PM to further strengthen our relations. He noted that PM would have an opportunity to interact with the new leadership of China on the sidelines of the upcoming BRICS Summit in Durban, South Africa, later this month. Meanwhile China's new president, Xi Jinping and Dr Man Mohan Singh will hold their first bilateral meeting on the sidelines of BRICS summit in Durban South Africa.
The two leaders emphasized the need for maintaining high-level exchanges. They extended invitation to each other to pay bilateral visits at their earliest convenience. Both leaders gratefully accepted the invitation and looked forward to an early opportunity to interact. Indian media in Beijing were however not invited for the interaction with Premier Le Keqiang during the annual press meet after the People’s Congress. Chinese apprehensions of Indian media driving up tensions is well known, there does not seem to be any change in this approach.
It has also been confirmed during the fifth Defence Dialogue held between India and China in January 2013, both sides have agreed to conduct defence exchanges between the Armed Forces of both countries, including the conduct of a joint exercise at a time and location to be mutually decided by both sides. Defence exchanges, including the conduct of joint exercises, are useful to build mutual trust and confidence between the Armed Forces of both sides.
On activities on the Indo China border, the Ministry of Defence indicated in the parliament that the Government is aware of China`s military modernization and infrastructure development along the India-China border. Government reviews the threat perceptions which impact national security regularly and initiates required measures. Development of infrastructure and operational capabilities to achieve desired defence preparedness to safeguard the sovereignty, territorial integrity and security of India are an ongoing activity. Along the border with China there are Sectors where both countries have differing perceptions of the border. Both sides patrol upto their respective perceptions of the border or Line of Actual Control (LAC). Incidents of transgressions are taken up with the Chinese side through established mechanisms of Hot Lines, Flag Meetings, Border Personnel Meetings and normal diplomatic channels. Effective bordermanagement is carried out through surveillance and regular patrolling.
On the maritime front, the Ministry of Defence indicated to the Parliament that as per the information available, no Naval base has been established by China in Seychelles. The Government is aware of Chinese participation in development projects in the Indian Ocean Region and keeps a constant watch on all developments concerning our national security. Necessary measures are taken to safeguard our interests in accordance with the prevailing security situation and strategic considerations. As per media reports, India’s National Security Adviser Mr Shiv Shanker Menon does not consider India-China maritime rivalry as " inevitable" as both the countries have a common interest in keeping the sea lines of communication open for trade and energy flows. "In my view Sino-Indian maritime rivalry is not inevitable... Both India and China have a common interest in keeping the sea lines of communication through the Indian and western pacific oceans open. These lines are vital to Indian's trade and energy flows. So are they for China," he said at a book launch in New Delhi. He outlined that the presence of India and China across the Strait of Malacca have become normal. "That is reality that has happened simultaneously on both sides of the Strait without apparent frictions. These are natural consequences of development of India and China. As we both globalise this will happen... I think these are natural consequences," he said. In a way this legitimizes Indian presence in the Western Pacific while considering Chinese naval activity in the Indian Ocean as normal. On Naval cooperation he said, "The two navies are also cooperative, whether on anti-piracy off the Somali coast, the Gulf of Aden and other instances." he said.
The expression of confidence on a cooperative paradigm of engagement emerging between India and China in the Indian Ocean by the National Security Adviser Mr Shiv Shanker Menon reflects two schools of international relations. On one hand is the school led by Mr Menon and others who operate from a liberal perspective and thus see cooperative engagement with China rather than a contested one. This is evident through the series of dialogues being held with Beijing despite some of the contentious issues remaining unresolved that includes the boundary. On the other end of the spectrum is the realist school that sees India and China relations from a balance of power perspective thus indicating that both countries will be seeking to carve out their own sphere of influence in the region and globally aligning with players who are seen opposed to each other. This contest between the two schools of thought in international relations as applied to the India China relations is likely to continue in the days ahead.
What paradigm the new Chinese leadership with increasing number of differences in the South China and East Sea apart from boundary dispute with India, chooses to operate from remains to be seen?
This Article first appeared on Security Risks and is reposted here under a Creative Commons license.