Ex-Army Chief Naravane welcomes positive momentum in India-China relations
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New Delhi: Former Army chief General M M Naravane (retd) on Thursday welcomed the recent improvement in India-China ties, describing it as “fortuitous” that relations between the two nations are now “on the mend” with new initiatives at political, diplomatic, and military levels.
Speaking at an event, Gen Naravane said, “We are hopeful that China too will reciprocate our goodwill as we move ahead.”
His remarks come days after India and China announced a joint roadmap for a “stable, cooperative and forward-looking” relationship. The measures include reopening border trade, boosting investment, resuming direct flights, and jointly maintaining peace along the frontier.
Highlighting the significance of these steps, Gen Naravane noted, “It’s not that the current momentum of change and interaction that is taking place between India and China is something that has been forced upon us due to some events. We always wanted good relations with China.”
He also emphasised progress on the long-standing boundary issue. “It is a boundary and not a border, and like in a boundary, it is open to negotiations… a certain amount of give and take is possible,” he said.
The former Army chief recalled the difficult phase following the 2020 Galwan Valley clashes, when “a large amount of forces are arrayed on either side of the Line of Actual Control,” warning that such a situation was “definitely not in our common interest.” He urged both sides to resolve the issue quickly.
Gen Naravane, who led the Army from December 2019 until his retirement in April 2022, also reflected on the historical depth of India-China ties.
“We were cooperating together for so many centuries... Post-independence, we didn’t quite see eye to eye on certain issues, leading to the 1962 war, which strained relations thereafter,” he said. “If you look at the civilisational timeline, the last 60-70 years are but a very small blip… Nevertheless, this blip cannot be brushed under the carpet. It is an important and emotive issue between the two countries, and the sooner we settle it, the better it will be for the world at large.”
On the boundary talks, he pointed to the 2005 Agreement on Political Parameters and Guiding Principles for Settlement of the India-China Boundary Question. “Not much progress has been made, but the fact that it is being talked about once again gives us hope as we move forward,” he added.
Quoting Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s remarks from a 2024 interview, Naravane said: “It is my belief that we need to urgently address the prolonged situation on our borders so that the abnormality in our bilateral interactions can be put behind us.”