Arriving at an equilibrium and maintaining bilateral ties is going to be one of the “biggest challenges” for India-China relations, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said on Friday.
While speaking at the Raisina Dialogue in New Delhi, Jaishankar cautioned against China’s “mind game” to restrict the issues under the bilateral framework and said India must not forgo its rights to harness other factors in the world to get better terms on an equilibrium, PTI reported.
The foreign minister also said that a time would come when the Chinese economy will be flattening out and India will be growing and quoted Goldman Sachs projections suggesting that by 2075, both countries could end up as USD 50 trillion plus economies.
“It is in the nature of things that at some stage everybody flattens out. So there will be a period when they (China) will be flattening out and we will be growing… for example, in Goldman Sachs predictions which is that we will both really by around 2075 end up as USD 50 trillion plus economies and will be the two closest to each other,” he said.
He further said India should be confident enough to “leverage” the international system to create the “best possible outcome”.
His remarks came in response to a question on whether there would be a settling point between China and India and would the two countries finally find an equilibrium or a balance in their frosty relations.
“Here is the immediate issue which is: From the late 1980s, we had an understanding on the border precisely because it suited both of us. Now there was a departure after almost 30 years. A departure on their side in terms of how they behaved on the border. And there was a pushback from our side,” he said, according to PTI.
“I think arriving at an equilibrium, then maintaining those and refreshing those is going to be one of the biggest challenges for both countries. It is not going to be easy,” he added.
The external affairs minister said “mind games” will be played which would be that it is “just between the two of us”.
“The other 190 odd countries do not exist in our relationship. That will be the mind game which will be played. I do not think we should play it,” he said.
“Because if there are other factors out there in the world which can be harnessed by me to get better terms on an equilibrium, then why should I forgo that right,” he said.
While speaking on Russia, Jaishankar said Moscow is a power with an enormous tradition of statecraft and it is turning more towards Asia or non-West parts of the world.
Jaishankar, while speaking on Moscow’s growing proximity with Beijing, said it makes sense to give Russia multiple options and that railroading it into a single option and criticising it for that would be like a self-fulfilling prophecy.
“I think it makes sense to give Russia multiple options. If we railroad Russia into a single option and say that’s really bad because that’s the outcome, then you are making it a self-fulfilling prophecy,” he said.
“Today it is important for other countries, especially in Asia to engage Russia, Jaishankar said. Russia is a power with an enormous tradition of statecraft,” he added.