The Defense Ministers of Indian and China are set hold talks in New Delhi. This is first of such meeting between the two nuclear armed countries, since the deadly clashes at the Himalayas border, that claimed multiple lives of soldiers.
China’s newly appointed Defense Minister, Li Shangfu, would meet his Indian Counterpart Rajnath Singh on the sideline of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Defense Ministers meeting. The Indian Defense Ministry Spokesperson’s A. Bharat Bhushan Babu said.
The Chinese Defense Minister visited New Delhi, alongside with his Russian counterpart and several Central Asia Countries. This is the first time since 2020, a Chinese leader has set foot in Indian, after the deadly border clashes that claimed 20 Indian soldiers live and 4 lives Chinese soldiers.
The tension between the two countries have been boiling ever since, and escalated in December when a brawl between both sides in the Tawang Sector of Indian’s northeastern territory of Arunachal Pradesh, resulted in minor injuries.
The border in question, has long been a bone of contention between New Delhi and Beijing, with agitation spilling in war before. A month-long war in 1962, result in a Chinese victory and India losing thousands of square of miles of their territory.
The Chinese Ministry of Defense said, Minister Li will “communicate and exchange views on issues of the international and regional situations, as well as defense and security cooperation,” at the SCO gathering.
Li Shangfu met the Russian President Vladimir Putin, earlier this month, in Moscow in his first oversee trip, since he assumed the position, as China and Russia continues to strengthen their diplomatic relations, while Western countries heap pressure on Beijing to encourage Putin to withdraw from Ukraine.
Minister Li Shangfu was sanctioned by the U.S in 2018, over transactions with Russia State-controlled arms exporter “Rosomboronexport,” when he spearheaded the Chinese military’s equipment development department. Minister Li is known to be the leader of the Chinese Military Modernization Drive.
India, who moves closer to the US, as it seeks to counter the rise of an increasingly assertive China, and also relies on Russia’s military arsenals to equip its military. Li Shangfu’s visit precede after Indian and China met the 18th time, in attempt to resolve the border dispute.
India assumed the chairmanship of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization in 2023. They grouping’s Foreign Ministers are expected to meet in the Western Indian State of Goa, on May 4 to 5th .
Kashmir Border Dispute
The Pakistani Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto’s visit to India, will be the most senior-level one in seven years, as India and Pakistan also, are involved in a border dispute at the Kashmir border. The conflict has been going on since 1947, after the partition of India. Both Pakistan and India claimed ownership of the former Princely state of Jammu and Kashmir.
It is this dispute that escalated the three wars between India and Pakistan and several other armed skirmishes. India controls approximately 55% of the land area of the regions, which includes Jammu and the Kashmir valley, most of Lakesh, the Siachen Glacier, and 70% of its population.
Pakistan on the other hand controls approximately 30% of the land area, include Azad Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan.
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