The two most populous countries in the world began a complicated 75-year relationship on April 1, 1950, when China and India formally established diplomatic relations. Being one of the first non-socialist nations to acknowledge the People’s Republic of China, India laid the groundwork for what both nations initially anticipated would be a cooperative and respectful alliance. But over the years, there have been a lot of ups and downs in the relationship, with times of cooperation broken up by conflicts.
Bilateral interactions have been impacted by the profound mistrust that was sparked by the Sino-Indian War in 1962. Both countries have kept diplomatic ties open during this difficult past. “Despite twists and difficulties, good neighbourliness and win-win cooperation have always been the main theme,” said Xu Wei, the Chinese Consul General in Kolkata, during recent anniversary festivities.
Both nations have seen significant changes during the last 75 years. According to Chinese leaders, there has been “a huge transformation from poverty and weakness to prosperity and strength” in China. In a same vein, India has become a significant economic force and a significant global voice. These two countries together account for more than 2.8 billion people and are essential components of the Global South.
Chinese leaders have often underlined that collaboration is a logical outcome of this shared developmental path. China and India should focus on development and cooperation, according to Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun, who made this claim as early as January 2025. He claimed that doing so “serves the fundamental interests of the two countries’ over 2.8 billion people” and is “conducive to regional and global peace and prosperity.”
India retaliated in a number of ways after the Galwan confrontation, including by restricting Chinese investments, outlawing Chinese mobile apps like TikTok, and blocking the resumption of passenger flights to China after suspensions due to the pandemic. For almost five years, the border situation remained tense, despite numerous rounds of diplomatic and military negotiations aimed at ending the standoff.
When the Indian Army declared in October 2024 that the disengagement with China in eastern Ladakh had been successfully completed, it was a major breakthrough. On the fringes of the BRICS summit in Russia, Prime Minister Modi and President Xi met bilaterally at the same time as this military de-escalation. During their meeting, both leaders stressed the value of “mutual trust, mutual respect, and mutual sensitivity” and pledged to improve communication and collaboration.
Another indication of China’s intention to normalise diplomatic channels was the nomination of Xu Feihong as the new Chinese Ambassador to India in May 2024, following an exceptionally lengthy 18-month vacancy in the role. Ambassador Xu eagerly anticipated “working hard with all for China-India relations” as he arrived in Delhi, expressing a desire to strengthen bilateral relationships.
Another indication of China’s intention to normalise diplomatic channels was the nomination of Xu Feihong as the new Chinese Ambassador to India in May 2024, following an exceptionally lengthy 18-month vacancy in the role. Ambassador Xu eagerly anticipated “working hard with all for China-India relations” as he arrived in Delhi, expressing a desire to strengthen bilateral relationships.
Both China and India are “ancient civilisations, major developing countries, and important members of the Global South,” according to Guo Jiakun, who also noted that both countries are currently in “a crucial stage of modernisation.” This framing suggests a deliberate choice to highlight shared interests and challenges between the two nations, emphasising their similarities rather than their differences.
According to the spokesperson, the history of bilateral relations shows that “being partners of mutual success and a cooperative pas de deux of the dragon and the elephant is the right choice for both sides and fully meets the fundamental interests of the two countries and two peoples.” Using the “dragon and the elephant” as metaphors highlights the potential strength of collaboration between these two Asian giants, which are typically associated with China and India, respectively.
Numerous celebrations have been held in both nations to commemorate the milestone. On March 31, 2025, the Chinese Consulate in Kolkata hosted a memorial during which Consul General Xu Wei discussed the remarkable trajectory of bilateral relations over the past 75 years. In a similar vein, Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri attended an event called “Riding the East Wind, Setting Sail Anew and Opening a New Chapter in China-India Relations,” which was hosted by the Chinese Embassy in Delhi.
In his congratulatory message, President Xi stressed that “both sides should view and handle China-India relations from a strategic and long-term perspective and seek ways for neighbouring major countries to get along in peaceful coexistence, mutual trust and mutual benefit as well as common development,” according to Chinese Ambassador to India Xu Feihong, who was present at the event. He also emphasised Prime Minister Modi’s remarks, which stated that improved bilateral ties would support both the rise of a multipolar world and worldwide stability and prosperity.
Significant obstacles still exist in the China-India relationship, especially with regard to unsolved border conflicts, despite the favourable diplomatic rhetoric. Tensions still exist along the Line of Actual Control, which separates the two nations’ more than 2,000-mile shared border. The fragility of the peace along the border has been highlighted by recent events in the Indian states of Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh in the northeast.
Chinese authorities have made an effort to disentangle border disputes from the larger partnership. “The Chinese side always believes that China-India ties should not be defined by any single issue or area; the boundary question is not the entirety of the relationship,” Ambassador Xu said before to starting his position. But India has always insisted that other parts of the relationship cannot be normalised until there is peace and quiet along the border.
Spokesman Guo recently acknowledged this difficulty but presented it in a positive light, saying that China is prepared to “jointly maintain peace and tranquillity in the border areas” as part of the larger endeavour to improve bilateral ties. This implies an understanding that resolving border disputes is still crucial to strengthening relations generally.
The increasing focus on China-India collaboration coincides with major global geopolitical changes. Both nations have established themselves as prominent representatives of the Global South and proponents of a more multipolar global order. Their capacity to cooperate—or, on the other hand, their ongoing competition—has ramifications that go well beyond their bilateral connection.
Spokesman Guo said in January that the two nations should “practice genuine multilateralism, advocate an equal and orderly multipolar world and a universally beneficial and inclusive economic globalisation.” Chinese officials have highlighted this aspect of the relationship. This implies that, despite ongoing bilateral difficulties, Beijing sees opportunity for strategic alignment with New Delhi on specific global governance problems.
There are unmistakable indications that both China and India want to stabilise their relationship and look into new areas of collaboration as they mark 75 years of diplomatic ties. Leaders’ congratulatory letters and the synchronised public remarks from other Chinese officials point to a purposeful plan to rebalance bilateral relations after years of hostility.
President Xi and Prime Minister Modi’s October 2024 encounter in Kazan seems to have been a turning point that sparked interest in more interaction. These days, both countries characterise their relationship in terms of their potential influence on the global order and their common interests as developing states.
However, because of conflicting geopolitical interests and the change in regional power dynamics, foreign policy specialists predict that the relationship will likely remain “tumultuous” in 2025. The 75th anniversary celebrations offer a significant symbolic chance, but it will take consistent work and a sincere desire to address difficult issues—particularly those pertaining to border security and territorial disputes—to turn diplomatic rhetoric into real improvements in bilateral relations.
