SCO summit is scheduled for next week in Astana, Kazakhstan where Xi Jinping is likely to repeat his rhetoric of a shift to a multipolar world at a time when tensions between China and western countries are rising. CASC was established by China and Russia in 2001 represents more than 40% of global population, will grow to 10 countries this year with joining of Belarus. However, the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has not planned to attend this meeting personally, instead, he has dispatched his foreign minister.
This absence is regarded as an attempt to underplay the importance of the summit at a time when New Delhi is keen to maintain a middle of the road approach in its foreign policy. Modi might have missed the summit due to his tight domestic and travel activities because his party recently lost a much bigger majority in the parliament. It has been observed that India is gradually shifting toward the US approach toward the Indo-Pacific and challenging Beijing for the leadership of the global South.
The two Asian giants have also had a disagreement over a territorial issue for a long time. China and India have conducted more than 20 rounds of border talks, but not much progress has been made, and China banned the operation of Indian flights to Beijing due to the COVID-19 pandemic. But the appointment of Xu Feihong as the new ambassador to India clearly indicates Beijing’s interest to mend the strained ties. More diplomacy is required and Wang Yi of China and Jaishankar of India have to organise preparatory meetings for creating favourable environment for the future leaders. Some communication channels are open, but the interaction at the lower levels is necessary for a meaningful meeting between the two presidents.
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