Dialogue Expected to Ease Border Friction

Even though both sides have maintained silence on the details of the upcoming military talks, it is becoming increasingly clear that the schedule for Lieutenant General-level dialogue will be finalized following the Tianjin summit. When Prime Minister Narendra Modi meets Chinese President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the SCO summit in Tianjin (August 31–September 1), the two nations are expected to take a significant step toward normalizing ties. This will likely include Lieutenant General-level Border Personnel Meetings (BPMs) across three sectors, along with the resumption of air services.

The process of normalization began at Kazan on October 23, 2024, when Prime Minister Modi and President Xi agreed to restore bilateral engagement. The next logical step, as part of confidence-building measures, involves strengthening military-to-military dialogue. The decision to hold Lieutenant General–Major General-level discussions between the Indian Army and the PLA in Chushul, Nathu La, and either Kibuthoo or Yangtze (covering the western, middle, and eastern sectors respectively) marks a critical advance in that direction. At present, general-level dialogue is confined to interactions between the 14th Corps Commander and the Sinkiang Military Division Commander in Chushul, Eastern Ladakh.

The decision to elevate the dialogue framework was formalized during the 24th round of Special Representative talks on August 19. Observers believe that the Tianjin bilateral meeting between Prime Minister Modi and President Xi will set the timeline for these engagements.

“If six rounds of dialogue are held annually between apex military commanders, most Line of Actual Control (LAC) friction points could be resolved in real time. A peaceful and stable border will, in turn, create the conditions for bilateral relations between the two Asian giants to strengthen further,” noted a China expert.

This renewed push for normalization comes at a time when both India and China are under mounting economic pressure from the United States. President Donald Trump has escalated tariff measures, with India set to face an additional 25% duty from August 27—raising the total to 50%. China, meanwhile, has already been hit with a 54% tariff, with Washington granting only a 90-day reprieve on further increases.

During the August 19 meeting between External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, the U.S. was reportedly the unspoken “elephant in the room.” Both ministers expressed the view that their countries were being unfairly targeted by Washington, underscoring the need for closer coordination to safeguard their markets.

While New Delhi recognizes the inherent limits to its strategic convergence with Beijing, Washington’s tariff strategy—combined with its portrayal of India as complicit in the Ukraine conflict—has eroded illusions of goodwill in the minds of India’s leadership and public. With the Trump administration’s latest tariff move expected on August 27, Indo-U.S. ties risk turning distinctly colder, if not outright adversarial.