China-India cooperation could deliver tangible benefits to the broader Global South
By Maya Majueran
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi held talks with Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar on Monday in New Delhi, and the two sides agreed to maintain the momentum of bilateral ties. Wang is in India for a three-day trip and the 24th Round of Talks between the Special Representatives of China and India on the Boundary Question.
This visit, his first in more than three years, comes at a pivotal moment. Undertaken at New Delhi’s invitation, it reflects a stark reality: Cooperation between Beijing and New Delhi shouldn’t be held hostage to bilateral disputes. Amid intensifying geopolitical turbulence and mounting developmental challenges, solidarity within the Global South has shifted from aspiration to strategic necessity.
The 2020 border clashes between China and India shattered years of relative stability. Since then, more than 20 rounds of Corps Commander-level negotiations have discussed issues such as disengagement, buffer zones, and border management mechanisms.
Despite frictions, powerful converging interests compel both sides to compartmentalize disputes. Bilateral trade has surged to record highs, underscoring deep economic interdependence. Shared security concerns likewise incentivize restraint.
At the same time, both nations’ ambitions to shape a multipolar order through platforms like BRICS and the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) raise the costs of perpetual hostility.
A fractured China-India relationship would weaken the Global South’s collective leverage in global governance, climate negotiations, and economic resilience. For both capitals, the stakes now extend far beyond frictions.
The 24th round of boundary talks is more than routine diplomacy. It represents an opportunity to demonstrate that dialogue, not confrontation, will define the next chapter.
Recent gestures already suggest cautious forward movement: the possible resumption of direct flights, smoother visa issuance, and the phased restoration of border trade. These steps are both symbolic and practical. They reflect confidence in managing the border, highlight the role of economic linkages in rebuilding trust, and signal a willingness to move beyond confrontation.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has reinforced this cautious optimism. In a recent interview, he noted that a degree of “normalcy” had returned along the border.
One area ripe for collaboration lies in linking South Asia more closely with the rest of Asia. For decades, South Asia has lagged in infrastructure and connectivity, constraining both growth and regional integration. Even India, the region’s largest economy, continues to face gaps limiting its ability to serve as a bridge between South and Southeast Asia.
The China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) has already established corridors across Asia, while India’s “Act East” policy is pushing its own connectivity agenda. If these efforts could be aligned, it will generate immense dividends: reducing trade costs, unlocking supply chains, and embedding South Asia more deeply into pan-Asian economic networks. Such cooperation would also be inspiring to the Global South.
By working together to bridge South Asia with ASEAN, China and India could demonstrate that their cooperation delivers tangible benefits not only to themselves but to the broader Global South. Such initiatives would amplify the collective voice of emerging economies in global governance.
Recently, Modi announced his plan to visit to China for the upcoming SCO summit in China. He said the event is “a gathering of solidarity, friendship and fruitful results.” Coming ahead of Wang Yi’s visit and the upcoming SCO summit in China, Modi’s remarks carry symbolic weight. They suggest New Delhi’s openness to recalibrate ties with Beijing in service of a broader Global South agenda.
Within the SCO framework, where China and India engage alongside Russia and Central Asian states, Modi’s presence will reinforce India’s role in regional security and economic discussions while highlighting the broader stakes of China-India cooperation. The revival of high-level diplomacy demonstrates that both sides are cautiously, yet deliberately, moving toward stabilization.
Ultimately, the trajectory of China-India ties extends well beyond the bilateral level. As the two largest powers in the Global South, their ability to cooperate will directly shape the collective strength and bargaining power of developing nations.
Indeed, many Global South nations look to Beijing and New Delhi not merely for leadership, but for proof that South-South solidarity can translate into real influence in shaping a fairer international order. In an era of fragmented global governance, constructive China-India engagement is indispensable.
Global Times
