Key Points
On 1 April 2024, India and China marked the 74th anniversary of their diplomatic relations, though with a conspicuous lack of acknowledgement from Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA)..
In a move inconsistent with its preaching, China released a new list renaming 30 places in the Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh, which China refers to as Zangnan (Southern Tibet), with Chinese and Tibetan names..
Chinese actions and statements are widely perceived as efforts to assert claims over Indian territory, possibly in response to Modis inauguration of the Sela Tunnel in Arunachal Pradesh on 9 March...
A commentary in the Global Times posited, The Indian governments recent actions aim to bolster Modis re-election prospects by cultivating a hawkish image to appeal to their nationalist voter base, thus deliberately escalating tensions with China...
Treating India as an equal partner, prioritising bilateral relations independent of the US-China dynamic, and sincerely addressing concerns and differences are vital measures for fostering normalised relations...
