Context

• The year 2025 represents a significant milestone in international relations: the 75th anniversary of diplomatic ties between China and India, and the 80th anniversary of the founding of the United Nations.
• Both anniversaries symbolise continuity and transformation in global diplomacy, reminding the world of the enduring importance of cooperation over conflict.
• Against the backdrop of rapid geopolitical change, the relationship between China and India, the world’s two most populous nations, takes on renewed meaning.

Historical Context: Seventy-Five Years of Diplomacy

• Since the establishment of diplomatic relations in 1950, China and India have navigated a complex history marked by periods of tension and cooperation.
• Symbolic gestures, such as reciprocal visits to each other’s hometowns in 2014 and 2015, signified a personal and political attempt to foster trust.
• Subsequent meetings at major international forums, including BRICS, the G20, and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), reflect how both nations position themselves as active participants in shaping multilateral frameworks.
• Even the interruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic could not entirely halt their diplomatic exchanges.
• By the time of their bilateral meetings in 2023 and 2024, the relationship appeared to have regained momentum, with both sides reaffirming a shared vision for cooperation.

Global Context: The UN and the Crisis of Governance

• Parallel to the China-India relationship, the cooperation extends to the larger framework of global governance.
• The 80th anniversary of the United Nations serves as a moment of reflection on the successes and shortcomings of the post-World War II international order.
• While the UN has historically contributed to peace and development, the early decades of the 21st century have exposed deep systemic challenges, rising unilateralism, protectionism, and hegemonies threaten to erode the cooperative spirit that underpinned its founding.
• This global uncertainty amplifies the importance of the 25th SCO Summit in Tianjin, where both Xi and Modi expected to offer leadership in redefining global governance.

Reframing the Relationship: From Rivals to Partners

• Despite historical border disputes and geopolitical competition, both nations are encouraged to emphasize cooperation over confrontation.
• Political scholar Sudheendra Kulkarni’s observation that the 2025 Tianjin Summit could be the most successful in SCO history underscores optimism surrounding the resurgence of Asian diplomacy.
• The rise of multi-polarity and the relative decline of Western dominance have created a geopolitical environment more conducive to Asian-led initiatives.
• Both Xi and Modi articulate visions rooted in pragmatism and shared responsibility.
• Xi’s four-point proposal, deepening strategic trust, expanding cooperation, respecting mutual concerns, and coordinating multilaterally, aligns closely with Modi’s remarks about stability, resumed flights, and renewed optimism.
• Together, these statements convey a sense of deliberate alignment: a recognition that the prosperity of one is linked to the success of the other.

The Global Governance Initiative: A Vision for the Future

• The Global Governance Initiative (GGI), proposed by Xi Jinping at the Tianjin Summit, represents the philosophical and practical culmination of these diplomatic efforts.
• Rooted in five guiding principles, sovereign equality, international rule of law, multilateralism, people-centred development, and pragmatic results, the GGI seeks to reform, not replace, the existing international order.
• Each of these principles addresses a pressing deficit in today’s governance structures.
• Crucially, the initiative insists on inclusivity, a governance model that empowers developing countries and democratizes global decision-making.
• The GGI, therefore, is not merely a Chinese proposal but a potential blueprint for equitable globalization.

Conclusion: Toward a Shared Global Future

• The convergence of anniversaries, 75 years of China-India relations and 80 years of the United Nations, serves as a reminder that diplomacy and multilateralism remain the pillars of global stability.
• The narrative is not one of rivalry, but of renewal: a call for China and India to transcend historical differences and embrace a shared mission of reforming global governance for the common good.
• In the 21st century, the fate of humanity is increasingly interdependent. As emerging powers with ancient civilizations and modern ambitions, China and India possess both the moral and strategic capacity to lead by example.