India-China will remain in state of armed co-existence until mistrust goes: Vijay Gokhale | Latitude

Описание: In this episode of Latitude at Frontline, host and senior journalist Nirupama Subramanian speaks to Vijay Gokhale, former Foreign Secretary of India and former Ambassador to China, about where India-China relations stand five years after the Galwan clash and what the future may hold for this uneasy relationship between two nuclear neighbours.
Even as India and China resume some bilateral engagements, including the Kailash Mansarovar yatra and high-level ministerial visits, there is no resolution yet to the mistrust that has defined the relationship since the 2020 military standoff in Eastern Ladakh. With new flashpoints such as Operation Sindoor, China's growing support to Pakistan, the looming Dalai Lama succession crisis, and increasing friction in global multilateral forums, Gokhale outlines how the relationship is likely to play out in the coming years—and whether India’s strategic posture is changing.

Context:
More than four years after the Galwan clash, India and China have partially disengaged at multiple friction points but not de-escalated. Official contacts have resumed but the border remains volatile, and trust is low. Meanwhile, China has imposed new tech sanctions on India, supported Pakistan diplomatically during Operation Sindoor, and voiced displeasure over India’s celebration of the Dalai Lama’s birthday. Against this backdrop, the US is pressing India to deepen military coordination in the Indo-Pacific. As China navigates domestic instability and India looks to balance ties with the US and China, what lies ahead for Asia’s most consequential bilateral relationship?


Highlights:
– Why India-China relations remain stuck in “armed coexistence”
– How the Galwan clash reset negotiation norms
– China’s support to Pakistan during Operation Sunder
– What’s at stake in the Dalai Lama succession controversy
– The economic and technological logic of India-US ties
– Can India afford deeper military engagement in the Western Pacific?
– Is Xi Jinping stepping down? What a transition in Beijing might mean

Perfect for:
-Viewers interested in India-China relations and foreign policy
-Students of geopolitics, border studies, and security strategy
-Those tracking China's rise and its neighbourhood tensions
-Analysts following US-China-India triangular dynamics
-Journalists covering border standoffs and regional diplomacy
-Policy thinkers studying the future of the Quad and Indo-Pacific balance

Credits:
Host: Nirupama Subramanian
Produced by: Abhinav Chakraborty and Kavya Pradeep M.
Editing: Razal Pareed



Originally published on July 7, 2025

Subscribe to Frontline: https://frontline.thehindu.com/online... (https://www.youtube.com/redirect?even...)

Follow us on:
Facebook -   / frontlineindia   (https://www.youtube.com/redirect?even...)
Twitter -   / frontline_india   (https://www.youtube.com/redirect?even...)
Instagram -   / frontline.magazine   (https://www.youtube.com/redirect?even...)
LinkedIn -   / frontline-magazine-b12921295   (https://www.youtube.com/redirect?even...)