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Indian troops have started patrolling the <keyword id="23761332" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Demchok-sector" source="keywords">Demchok sector</keyword> in eastern Ladakh, marking a significant step in the recent <keyword id="23661926" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="disengagement-agreement" source="keywords">disengagement agreement</keyword> between India and China. The two countries have agreed to start coordinated patrols based on their respective perceptions of the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in both the <keyword id="23634524" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="demchok" source="keywords">Demchok</keyword> and Depsang sectors. Patrolling in the Depsang sector is expected to commence soon, according to <keyword id="19908736" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Indian-Army" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Indian Army" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Indian Army">Indian Army</keyword> sources. This coordinated patrolling arrangement allows both sides to be aware of each other's patrol schedules, reducing the chances of accidental conflicts or misunderstandings in these sensitive areas. In a gesture of goodwill, the Indian and Chinese armies exchanged sweets at various border points on Thursday in celebration of Diwali. This symbolic exchange took place at Hot Springs, Karakoram Pass, Daulat Beg Oldi, Kongka La, and the Chushul-Moldo meeting point in Ladakh, reinforcing the message of <keyword id="20189963" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="peace-and-cooperation" source="keywords">peace and cooperation</keyword>. Ladakh Member of Parliament (MP) Haji Hanifa expressed optimism about the recent developments. "Those of us who live near the border know what war feels like. We desire peace along the border. We welcome the agreement between the two countries, but we want to see it implemented on the ground. <keyword id="23761946" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="tensions-along-the-border" source="keywords">Tensions along the border</keyword> should be reduced through diplomatic means," said MP Hanifa. The recent disengagement follows a tense standoff that began in 2020, which significantly strained India-China relations. Chief of Army Staff <keyword id="22236978" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="General-Upendra-Dwivedi" source="keywords">General Upendra Dwivedi</keyword> noted that restoring trust along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) would be a gradual process to return to the April 2020 status quo. He emphasised the steps of disengagement, de-escalation, and buffer zone management as essential measures to ensure a peaceful border environment. In a recent statement, Chinese Ambassador to India Xu Feihong acknowledged the challenges of managing relations between the two neighboring nations. He noted that it was natural for India and China to have differences as neighbouring countries, but explained that the important thing was how to handle and solve these differences. The recent disengagement and coordinated patrolling efforts represent a hopeful turn toward stability and peace along the border. Both countries aim to work through their differences and establish a more secure and peaceful LAC, gradually easing tensions through diplomacy and collaboration. (With inputs from agencies)

Indian troops resume patrolling along LAC in Demchok as India-China border relations take a step forward

In a major <keyword id="22639726" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="diplomatic-breakthrough" source="keywords">diplomatic breakthrough</keyword>, India and China have struck an agreement to defuse tensions along the <keyword id="20140251" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Line-of-Actual-Control" source="keywords">Line of Actual Control</keyword> (LAC), which have been ongoing since the deadly clashes in the Galwan Valley in 2020. The deal, announced just days before the <keyword id="21003379" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="BRICS-summit" source="keywords">BRICS summit</keyword>, marks the first concrete step towards restoring peace between the two nations since the conflict began. It includes a structured patrolling plan and <keyword id="23643398" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="troop-withdrawals" source="keywords">troop withdrawals</keyword> aimed at preventing future confrontations in the <keyword id="20224053" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Ladakh-region" source="keywords">Ladakh region</keyword>. Indian Foreign Minister <keyword id="20508657" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="S-Jaishankar" source="keywords">S. Jaishankar</keyword> described the agreement as a return to pre-2020 conditions, effectively resetting the status quo along the contested border. Troops from both sides will be pulled back to avoid face-offs, while joint patrols will be carried out according to a mutually agreed schedule. This is a notable shift from the tense, militarised standoff that has gripped the LAC over the past four years, where tens of thousands of soldiers were stationed in extreme high-altitude conditions. A key feature of the agreement is the creation of a regular monitoring system to ensure compliance. Monthly review meetings will be held to track progress, signalling a long-term commitment to peace. This structured approach, involving both military and diplomatic channels, could lay the foundation for more robust confidence-building measures. The pact also carries significant economic implications. While India had increased scrutiny of Chinese investments post-2020, bilateral trade has continued to rise, with Indian imports from China surging 56% in recent years. Experts see this agreement as a crucial step toward normalising broader diplomatic and economic ties, potentially allowing stalled business projects to resume. Despite the optimism, challenges remain. Experts caution that this is just the first step in what will be a long road to lasting peace. As former Indian military commander Deependra Singh Hooda noted, “At least the impasse has been broken,” but further confidence-building measures will be critical. The resolution of this border dispute could pave the way for deeper cooperation between the two nations, especially in a global context where both India and China are key players in shaping regional stability. For now, the world watches to see how this agreement will unfold in the months to come.

India and China just reached a landmark agreement to de-escalate border tensions! Here's what happens now

<keyword id="22003705" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Indian-traders" source="keywords">Indian traders</keyword> involved in <keyword id="22003703" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="border-trade" source="keywords">border trade</keyword> with China through the <keyword id="22003704" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Lipulekh-pass" source="keywords">Lipulekh pass</keyword> in Pithoragarh district since 1992, have requested the central government to take up the issue of resumption of border trade through this route with Beijing. The trade route was closed rather suddenly after the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2019, forcing Indian traders to return from the <keyword id="22003706" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Taklakot-mart" source="keywords">Taklakot mart</keyword> in Tibet leaving behind their woollen products. Five years have passed but the route has not been opened, an organisation of border traders in Dharchula said. The traders who belong to the <keyword id="22005864" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Bhotia-tribe" source="keywords">Bhotia tribe</keyword> started to raise their demand for reopening of the trade route through Lipulekh after China recently began the process of implementing a pact, in which it had agreed to open all 14 trade passes with Nepal. The implementation of the agreement inked by China and Nepal in December, 2022 began on May 25 this year, when China opened Piangi pass situated in Dolpa district of eastern Nepal, president of Bharat Tibetan Simant Vyapar Samiti, Dharchula Jeewan Singh Rongkali said. Three more passes along the Indo-Tibet border in the western region of Nepal that fall in the districts of Humla, Bajang and Darchula will be opened on June 20, 30 and 25 respectively, he said. "We have so far sent 22 applications to the government of India requesting it to take up with the Chinese authorities the reopening of the trade route through Lipulekh pass but have received no response so far," Rongkali said. According to Rongkali, Indian tribal traders from Dharchula alone have left trading items worth Rs 15 lakh in <keyword id="22005865" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="taklakot" source="keywords">Taklakot</keyword> Mart of Tibet at the time of closure of border trade in 2019, following the Covid-19 pandemic. "We have no information if our stored goods are safe or in a state of decay. They were stored in plywood covers at the time of closure of trade," Rongkali said. "We want trade with China to be resumed through Lipulekh pass but if for some reason it is not possible then the traders should be given 15 days' time to go to Taklakot to ring back their goods," he said. Goods of over 450 Indian tribal traders have been lying there for the last 5 years, he said. According to Rongkali, over 450 Indian traders used to supply essential goods to villagers of over 45 villages of western Tibet through this trade route since 1992. "Out of over 1.5 crore trade annually, we have paid lakhs of rupees towards customs duty and other taxes to the government of India," said Rongkali. China announced in the year 2022 that it will build trans Himalayan multi-dimensional connectivity with Nepal to restructure the road and communication network with that country, Rongkali said. "As China has not given permission to open our passes along the Indo-China border, we have an apprehension that the mart made for Indian traders in Gakkhu town of Taklakot could be handed over to Nepalese traders," said Rongkali.

Indian traders demand resumption of border trade with China through Lipulekh pass

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Trump has tapped Pete Hegseth, an Army veteran and Fox News host, to be secretary of defense.</li><li>BI reviewed Hegseth's past statements for clues on how he might lead the Defense Department.</li></ul>US President-elect <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/donald-trump-white-house-staff-cabinet-picks-list-2024-11">Donald Trump</a> has tapped Pete Hegseth, a Fox &amp; Friends host and US Army National Guard veteran, to be secretary of defense.Hegseth is a combat veteran and conservative commentator who gained clout during Trump's first term and successfully <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/trump-listened-fox-host-pete-hegesth-over-his-secretary-defense-2019-11">pushed for</a> pardons and rank reinstatement in three war crimes cases over the objections of top military officials. He has been skeptical of the US's support for the NATO alliance and an embattled <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/trump-pentagon-pick-pete-hegseth-criticized-us-involvement-ukraine-aid-2024-11">Ukraine</a>, while advocating for full support for Israel.Trump announced Hegseth's nomination on Tuesday night, calling him a "warrior for the troops and country" and a "true believer in America First." His selection is a sign Trump is focused on purging the military's top ranks of purported "woke generals," along the lines of the external "warrior board" reviews first <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.wsj.com/politics/national-security/trump-draft-executive-order-would-create-board-to-purge-generals-7ebaa606?mod=national-security_news_article_pos3">reported</a> by The Wall Street Journal.Hegseth was considered for Veterans Affairs secretary during Trump's first term and faced pushback from veterans group leaders. This time is no different."Hegseth is undoubtedly the least qualified nominee for SecDef in American history. And the most overtly political. Brace yourself, America," Paul Rieckhoff, the founder of Independent Veterans of America, <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://x.com/PaulRieckhoff/status/1856502867126857911">said</a>.<div type="image" title="Pete Hegseth" height="2555" width="3600" msid="115272720" hostid="261" sizebytes="482454"></div>Hegseth is a Fox News fixture known for his military service and weighing in on culture war controversies. He served in Iraq and Afghanistan but has less leadership, national security, and Department of Defense experience than Trump's former defense secretaries."I confess I didn't know who he was until 20 minutes ago," Rep. Adam Smith, the top Democrat on House Armed Services, told reporters Tuesday night. Adam Kinzinger, a former lieutenant colonel in the Air National Guard and a Republican who left Congress after clashing with Trump, said the <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://x.com/AdamKinzinger/status/1856491538920157477">nomination</a> is "the most hilariously predictably stupid thing."Hegseth was among a group of US National Guard members who had their orders<a target="_blank" class="" href="https://x.com/JimLaPorta/status/1856492437402947704"> to secure then President-elect Joe Biden's inauguration</a> revoked after the January 6 insurrection. Hegseth said on "The Shawn Ryan Show" he was dismissed because he was "deemed an extremist" over his tattoo of a Jerusalem cross; he also has a tattoo of a Christian motto that dates to the Crusades and has been adopted by the alt-right.When asked for comment, the Trump transition team referred Business Insider to Trump's announcement. Hegseth didn't respond to BI's request for comment on Wednesday.If Hegseth is confirmed, he'll come to the Pentagon at a perilous time for a <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/conflicts-and-tensions-the-next-president-could-face-2024-9">US military stretched thin by conflicts and tensions across the world</a>. Here's where he stands on some key issues.<h2 id="e801149c-517d-4369-944b-247efc37a121">Hegseth has criticized women serving in combat roles and diversity in the military</h2><div type="image" title="U.S. Army Spc. Sammantha Ohm assigned to 5th Squadron, 1st Calvary Regiment, Delta Co, 1st Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 11th Airborne Division pulls security on the M2HB .50-caliber machine gun during the Joint Pacific Multinational Readiness Center 24-02 exercise at Donnelly Training Area, Alaska, Feb. 17, 2024." height="4219" width="6329" msid="115272725" hostid="261" sizebytes="885108"></div>During a recent interview on <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DoN5ovwB8s4">"The Shawn Ryan Show" podcast</a>, he said women serving in combat roles hurt the military. "Everything about men and women serving together makes the situation more complicated, and complication in combat, that means casualties are worse," Hegseth said, adding that minority and white men can perform similar tasks that women can't. By allowing women to serve, "we've changed the standards in putting them there, which means you've changed the capability of that unit." <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/women-in-us-military-history-2019-2">All US military combat roles opened to women in 2015</a>.Hegseth is highly critical of "woke" diversity and equity policies. "The dumbest phrase on planet Earth in the military is our diversity is our strength," he said on "The Shawn Ryan Show," adding, "Any general that was involved, any general, admiral, whatever, that was involved in any of the DEI/woke shit has got to go."He has called for shifting away from diversity and inclusivity in the US military, whose highest ranks remain overwhelmingly male and white. Branches of the military face issues fulfilling recruitment goals, specifically with <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.military.com/daily-news/2024/06/14/armys-recruiting-problem-male.html#:~:text=Since%202013%2C%20male%20enlistments%20have,around%2010%2C000%20recruits%20each%20year">lower numbers of white male recruits in recent years</a>.<h2 id="0522ec27-5fc0-47a0-81ea-2e4fe1dd158a">Hegseth is critical of NATO and has flip-flopped on Ukraine</h2><div type="image" title="A tank sitting on a barren grassy field fires with a cloudy grey sky in the background." height="5504" width="8046" msid="115272714" hostid="261" sizebytes="1688200"></div>Hegseth has echoed a growing opinion among Republicans that questions <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/trump-pentagon-pick-pete-hegseth-criticized-us-involvement-ukraine-aid-2024-11">whether it's in the US's interest to support Ukraine's war of self-defense against Russia or the larger security of America's European allies</a>. He's also said Ukraine's war for its existence pales in comparison to the war on "woke" in America.In February 2022, Hegseth defended Trump's controversial comments describing Russian leader Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine as "savvy" and "genius," suggesting Trump was just attempting to "troll" American media. Throughout the war, Hegseth has shifted stances, calling Putin a "war criminal" and <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wxDe0KtJJio">criticizing Biden for not getting Ukraine military aid quickly enough</a>. He told Fox News in March 2022, "What's at stake is repelling an authoritarian who basically is saying 'I want the Soviet Union back, I want Ukraine back, I want Kyiv back.'" He has <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/trumps-nato-views-threaten-key-to-alliances-strength-article-5-2024-2">criticized the NATO alliance</a>, saying the <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/these-nato-frontline-countries-are-readying-for-war-with-russia-2024-3">US's European allies need to lead efforts to defend their borders</a>. In his recent book, "War on Warriors," Hegseth called some NATO allies "outdated, outgunned, invaded, and impotent." He wrote,"Why should America, the European 'emergency contact number' for the past century, listen to self-righteous and impotent nations asking us to honor outdated and one-sided defense arrangements they no longer live up to?"<h2 id="71858f8f-1362-4561-81bc-a85b00383c38">He's a staunch supporter of Israel </h2><div type="image" title="Trump with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in 2020." height="1500" width="2250" msid="115272721" hostid="261" sizebytes="198048"></div>Hegseth has repeatedly advocated for Israel, including in his coverage of the war in Gaza. He has supported <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/us-navy-burns-through-key-missiles-needed-for-china-fight-2024-10">Israel striking back against Iran and its proxies</a> and pushed against calls for a cease-fire.He interviewed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu earlier this year, asking about Trump's support for Israel during his first term. And in November 2023, he criticized pro-Palestinian protesters demonstrating in Washington. In a 2016 interview, he said Israel wasn't "a historical land that can be dismissed," emphasizing <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.timesofisrael.com/trump-taps-fox-news-host-who-said-us-must-stand-by-strong-ally-israel-to-head-pentagon/">how important it is for the US to stand by Israel as its ally</a>. <h2 id="ccea315c-2018-4c38-94b7-711ee1d6d51a">Hegseth's stance on China is murky</h2>China could be a top priority for Hegseth if he's confirmed. The Pentagon has called China its "pacing challenge" and has raised alarms on <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/us-military-china-missile-problem-getting-worse-2024-5">Beijing's meteoric military growth</a>. On "The Shawn Ryan Show," Hegseth said China was "building an army specifically dedicated to defeating" the US, pointing to how its <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/us-and-japan-teaming-up-to-defeat-hypersonic-missiles-2024-5">hypersonic missiles</a> could take US aircraft carriers out quickly in a conflict as a major concern. <div type="image" title="Chinese aircraft carriers Liaoning and Shandong in formation exercise in the South China Sea in late October 2024." height="2907" width="4948" msid="115272712" hostid="261" sizebytes="1330486"></div>His comments on China's economic influence echo Trump's talking points. "They want to corner the market completely on the technological future. We can't even drive our cars without the stuff we need out of China these days. So China has a full spectrum long-term view of not just regional but global domination and we have our heads up our asses," he said on the podcast. If confirmed, Hegseth would lead the Defense Department at a pivotal moment in the Asia-Pacific region. The US has assessed that <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/red-flags-tell-us-when-chinas-ready-to-invade-taiwan-2024-4">China wants its military ready to seize Taiwan by 2027</a>, and that US military forces need to be ready for a potential conflict with China by then.

How Trump's Army veteran pick for Pentagon chief, Fox & Friends' Pete Hegseth, sees the world

For a country struggling to fight brutal poverty, internal conflicts, political instability, and bureaucratic inefficiency, the 1990s was a breath of fresh air. The economy was liberalised, the IT industry started booming, a telecom revolution was underway, a successful nuclear test was conducted, and the emergence of strong regional parties gave voice to the politically weak sections. But on May 3, 1999, as Pakistani intrusion was reported at the Kargil borders, India was on the cusp of losing a decade-long progress to an unprovoked war. Over the next three months, the Indian <keyword id="19903970" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="armed-forces" source="keywords">armed forces</keyword> fought with all might not just to defend the borders, but to show to the world that its preference for peace is not a sign of weakness. <keyword id="21429298" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="Kargil-Vijay-Diwas" source="keywords">Kargil Vijay Diwas</keyword>, commemorated annually on July 26th, stands as a testament to India's indomitable spirit and the unwavering courage of its armed forces. This day marks the culmination of the <keyword id="20143432" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Kargil-War" source="keywords">Kargil War</keyword>, a conflict that tested the nation's mettle and forged a legacy of heroism. Addressing the 25th celebrations of the Kargil War victory, <keyword id="6354814" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="prime-minister-narendra-modi" source="Orion">Prime Minister Narendra Modi</keyword> said that the Kargil War win is neither the victory of any government in power nor of any political group, it is the heritage and the victory of 140 crore people of India. <h2>The genesis</h2>Despite signing the Lahore Declaration in February 1999 for a peaceful resolution of the Kashmir issue, a covert infiltration by Pakistani troops into the Kargil sector of Jammu and Kashmir in May 1999 triggered a crisis. Disguised as militants, they occupied strategic positions along the Line of Control (LoC), aiming to disrupt the Kashmir-Ladakh link. The <keyword id="19908736" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Indian-Army" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Indian Army" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Indian Army">Indian Army</keyword>, upon discovering the intrusion from local shepherds, launched Operation Vijay, a counter-offensive to reclaim the occupied heights. <h2>Battling against nature and the enemy</h2>The Kargil War was a gruelling ordeal, fought in the unforgiving Himalayan terrain. Soldiers battled not only the enemy but also the harsh, high-altitude conditions. The covert movement of the Pak army helped them position themselves at strategically advantageous, high-altitude positions. As temperatures plummeted and oxygen levels dwindled, the rugged mountains posed immense logistical challenges to the ground forces. Yet, the Indian Army, driven by patriotism and a relentless determination to protect the nation's sovereignty, pressed on. <h2>Heroes of the Kargil War</h2>The Kargil War produced a pantheon of heroes whose bravery continues to inspire generations. Captain <keyword id="20211435" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="vikram-batra" source="keywords">Vikram Batra</keyword>, with his iconic battle cry "Yeh Dil Mange More," led his troops to capture Point 4875, a pivotal victory. Lieutenant Manoj Kumar Pandey, displaying exceptional courage, made the supreme sacrifice while defending his post. These brave soldiers, among many others, epitomized the indomitable spirit of the Indian Army. The Kargil War galvanized the nation. People from all walks of life came together to support the armed forces. The collective outpouring of patriotism and solidarity fueled the soldiers' resolve. Nearly 500 Indian soldiers lost their lives battling the enemy in unforgiving Himalayan terrains. The war also highlighted the sacrifices made by the families of the martyrs, whose courage and resilience were equally inspiring. <h2>A legacy of valour</h2>Kargil <keyword id="21992554" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="vijay-diwas" source="keywords">Vijay Diwas</keyword> is more than just a commemoration; it is a reaffirmation of India's commitment to peace and security. The sacrifices made by the brave soldiers who fought in the Kargil War will forever be etched in the nation's memory. Their unwavering courage and determination continue to inspire future generations to serve the country with dedication and honour. As India celebrates the 25th anniversary of Kargil Vijay Diwas today, it is essential to remember the heroes who laid down their lives for the nation. Their supreme sacrifice will never be forgotten by a country on its path to glory on a global stage. <h2>A continued tragedy</h2>The Kargil War left behind a deadly legacy along with long-term trauma among the local residents and the defence personnel who fought valiantly. As per a TOI report, unexploded bombs scattered across the region continue to pose a significant threat to the local population. In 2023 — 24 years after the tragic war — a total of around 336 such unexploded bombs were reportedly neutralised by the Army. Residents live in constant fear of accidental detonations, especially during construction or excavation work. These incidents have resulted in multiple casualties in the past several years, including the tragic death of a young child. Despite the passage of 25 years, the Army remains actively engaged in defusing these dangerous remnants of war. Even this year, as many as 103 such bombs were defused by the Army. <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="112016324" title="Ex-army officer runs 160 km, 40 km per day, to mark Kargil Vijay Diwas anniversary" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"><payload><![CDATA[seealso]]></payload></div> <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="112031216" title="Families of soldiers pays tribute to soldiers who lost lives in 1999 Kargil War" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"><payload><![CDATA[seealso]]></payload></div>

Kargil Vijay Diwas: A tale of valour and sacrifice

<ul class="summary-list"><li>China's Xi Jinping negotiated a truce with India's leader, Narendra Modi.</li><li>They agreed to a patrolling arrangement on a disputed Himalayan border.</li></ul>At the <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/russia-hosts-brics-summit-defy-west-us-economy-china-dollar-2024-10">BRICS summit</a> in Russia this week, China's leader Xi Jinping and India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi shook hands for the first time in five years.The symbolic moment came after a deal was struck to resolve a long-standing feud between the Asian superpowers.In the lead-up to the summit, the countries announced they had reached a patrolling agreement that would reduce tensions along a disputed <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/india-china-buying-new-light-tanks-for-himalayan-mountain-warfare-2023-6">Himalayan border.</a>The dispute had led to deadly hand-to-hand combat in recent years, taking the lives of 20 Indian troops and at least four Chinese soldiers.After their meeting at the summit hosted by Russia's President Vladimir Putin, Xi and Modi said they would continue discussions on resolving the issue.<h2 id="997cee52-7fd6-4283-bf77-94e40a12b5cc">A setback for the US</h2>Some analysts believe it is a development that's unlikely to be welcomed in Washington, DC.The US has sought to recruit India to help it contain China's growing regional aggression alongside other members of the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue, a security pact that also includes Japan and Australia."So definitely, this is a setback for the United States of America's Indo-Pacific outlook, given the kind of rapprochement we are seeing in India-China relations, and particularly India, China and Russia coming together," Jagannath Panda, head of the Stockholm Center for South Asian and Indo-Pacific Affairs, told Business Insider."Putin, Xi, and Modi meeting definitely signals that there is a kind of understanding under the carpet that has happened, which is quite subtle," he said.It's an assessment echoed by Zhiqun Zhu, professor of political science and international affairs at Bucknell University."The thaw in India-China relations is a boon to both countries. This is particularly significant for China because India may now be less inclined to confront Beijing as part of Quad," Zhu told <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.voanews.com/a/india-china-deal-raises-questions-about-us-indo-pacific-strategy-/7838623.html">Voice of America. </a>"In this sense, the effectiveness of Quad would be diluted with a less enthusiastic India."<h2 id="baf534cf-4366-41b8-b9ef-d526ffe91fda">Competition between Asia's rival powers intensifies</h2>Tensions have been building between China and India for years.As the two biggest economies in Asia, the countries have long jostled for regional power, with the dispute over the Himalayan border a flashpoint that led to clashes in 2020, 2021, and 2022.Amid the stand-off, Chinese vessels have reportedly surveilled the Indian Ocean in <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.reuters.com/world/india/another-chinese-research-vessel-spotted-off-india-fuelling-unease-2024-03-11/">what experts told Reuters</a> was a likely intelligence-gathering operation, while India has strengthened its security ties with China's chief global rival, the US.In 2017 India played a key role in restarting the Quad, an alliance designed as a bulwark against growing Chinese influence and aggression in the Asia-Pacific region.But India has long sought to balance its relationship with rival superpowers the US and China, and does not at this point want to tie itself too closely to either side, say analysts.In addition to being a member of the Quad Alliance, it is a founding member of the BRICS, an <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/russia-economy-asia-countries-flaunt-russia-putin-diplomacy-relationship-brics-2024-9">association of non-Western economies </a>that China has sought to transform into an alternative global economic power base to the US.<div type="image" title="India-China border" height="683" width="1024" msid="114594056" hostid="261" sizebytes="158650"></div>"This explains why it remains part of multilateral groupings with contradictory goals," said Praveen Donthi, a South Asia analyst with the Eurasia Group in Washington, DC, pointing to both its membership of the US-aligned Quad and China-dominated BRIC group.The truce comes with China on the back foot diplomatically, said Panda, pointing to its damaged relations with Europe and the US after its support f<a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/russia-and-china-anti-us-coalition-is-growing-more-threatening-2024-9">or Russia's invasion of Ukraine.</a>"One could draw a conclusion at this point that probably the Chinese are more interested to rebuild the ties with India than the other way round," said Panda.He said there's also the possibility that Xi has reached an agreement with Modi behind the scenes for India to remain silent if China acts on its longstanding ambition to seize back control of Taiwan.Such a move would likely draw in the US and its other regional allies, who have pledged to help defend<a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/china-taiwan-drone-swarms-uav-us-playing-catch-up-production-2024-10"> Taiwan's independence.</a>"I think China's bigger ambition and target is the Taiwan issue, and therefore they would not really like to continue the kind of tensions they were engaged in with India for the last three to four years," he said."Therefore, they would like to rebuild, and they would like to ensure that India does not react to the Taiwan issue so sensitively."In any case, its a setback in US attempts to include India in a deeper security alliance, he said."For a long time, the US has tried to develop security and defense ties with India," said Panda.For the time being, a truce suits both Russian and Chinese interests, Rahul Bhatia, an analyst at the Eurasia Group, said. But, he added, tensions remain.He said that though both parties have opened discussions about the border dispute, the underlying problem remains unresolved, and future flare-ups are likely.Donthi said the progress between the leaders could also be derailed if tensions between the US and China increase."This comes as a relief after four years of eyeball-to-eyeball troop deployment in the Himalayas. However, it's only the beginning," he said.

Xi undercut the West by negotiating a truce in China's long feud with India

<ul class="summary-list"><li>India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi is in Russia to visit its president Vladimir Putin. </li><li>It's a visit that risks annoying India's ally the US. </li></ul>When India's prime minister arrived in Moscow on Tuesday, he greeted Russia's famously chilly president, Vladimir Putin, with an exuberant bear hug.It was a move likely <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/modi-putin-russia-india-relationship-not-worried-us-biden-mad-2024-7">to rile the US, </a>India's most important geopolitical ally, which has placed pressure on New Delhi to loosen its ties with Russia over Putin's invasion of Ukraine.But Prime Minister Narendra Modi's fear of China — a key Russian ally — means that he's willing to risk American anger to keep Putin close."New Delhi sees Moscow as an important buffer in their relationship due to Moscow's strong ties with Beijing," Sarang Shidore, an analyst at the Quincy Institute, told Business Insider."It is not in Russia's interest to have China and India at loggerheads, so it could, to a degree, act as a restraining agent."<h2 id="0ad4840d-1eb0-4f3e-a27c-3953a5a682f0">India ignores US pressure to cut Russia ties</h2>During the Cold War, the Soviet Union was among India's most important allies, with the Kremlin providing military support during India's clashes with Pakistan.They've remained close ever since, but the relationship is being tested anew in the fallout from the Ukraine war.The US has attempted to persuade India to take part <a target="_blank" href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-united-nations-general-assembly-biden-narendra-modi-india-82c9273cf3143cf16e9da23c3dd48170">in its campaign to isolate</a> Russia over the Ukraine invasion — but with little success."Russia is one of India's oldest strategic partners, and New Delhi wants to maintain this relationship regardless of Russia's diplomatic isolation following the war in Ukraine," Rahul Bhatia, an analyst at the Eurasia Group, told BI.India has increased its purchase of Russian goods, including oil and fertilizer, at reduced prices after the US imposed sanctions on Russia.It continues to buy Russian armaments, with around <a target="_blank" href="https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/defence/more-than-60-70-of-india-armed-forces-equipped-with-russian-origin-weapons-indian-envoy/articleshow/76903811.cms?from=mdr">70% of its weapons systems believed to be Russian</a>-made, and its military reliant on the Kremlin for spare parts and upgrades."Taking a hardline position against Russia could have both economic and security ramifications for India," said Richard Rossow, an analyst at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.<h2 id="a68bd311-605c-44db-97ac-44c2056c27c0">China's threat to India increases</h2>The threat from Chinese leader Xi Jinping is another key factor in Modi's determination to ignore US pressure and retain good ties with Putin.China's regional might is growing, and it's menacing India, Asia's other major economic power.In 2020, a long-simmering border dispute resulted in deadly clashes between Indian and Chinese troops. China ha<a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/china-produces-vast-undersea-maps-submarine-warfare-report-says-2024-1">s bolstered its presence in the Indian Ocean</a>, and the two are jostling for influence in countries in the region.China has built stronger ties with Russia in the wake of the Ukraine invasion, hoping a Russian victory<a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/xi-china-putin-russia-frenemies-limits-power-sphere-influence-2024-7"> will damage US power and enhance its own global</a> might. And it's this friendship Modi's seeking to drive a wedge between."There is a real chance of future conflicts, and India would prefer to avoid Russia exporting advanced military hardware to China," said Rossow.Some Indian analysts believe that China poses a greater threat to Russia than NATO in the long term and that India can exploit those differences."The Russia-China 'alliance' may be short-term in nature, and that historical conflicts between the two, such as over their long border and under-developed natural resources in Russia's east, will resurface and trigger renewed tensions," said Morrow.But for the time being, Russia's new "no limits"<a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/russia-economy-china-no-limits-partnership-yuan-bank-loans-sanctions-2024-2"> partnership has got Modi worried</a>, and he'll likely be hoping for a swift end to the Ukraine war. By maintaining good relations with Putin he's hoping he can contain the fallout."The war does not at all benefit its interests. The war also opens the door to legitimizing violations of territorial integrity, and endangers a principle that New Delhi has backed strongly," said Shidore.

Fear of China is behind India's exuberant display of friendship with Vladimir Putin 

<ul class="summary-list"><li>India's prime minister caused a shock after his reelection by publicly thanking Taiwan's leader.</li><li>Many countries avoid publicly engaging with the island nation so as not to anger China.</li></ul>Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi riled China in one of his first acts after being reelected for a historic third term.Modi, who was reelected in a much-narrower-than-expected victory on Tuesday, accepted the congratulations of Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te."I look forward to closer ties as we work towards mutually beneficial economic and technological partnership," Modi wrote in a <a target="_blank" href="https://x.com/narendramodi/status/1798339373785911656">post on X</a>.China is often furious when countries publicly acknowledge Taiwan's independent status.It has long <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/xi-biden-china-going-take-over-taiwan-war-report-apec-2023-12">considered Taiwan its rightful territory</a> and is menacing the independently governed island with the prospect of invasion.At a press briefing in Beijing on Thursday, China's foreign ministry criticized Modi's message."India has made serious political commitments and is supposed to recognize, be alarmed about, and resist the Taiwan authorities' political calculations," said the ministry's spokeswoman, Mao Ning, according to Bloomberg.Tensions between <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/narendra-modi-redouble-global-power-mission-despite-election-setback-india-2024-6">China and India</a>, Asia's biggest powers, are increasing as New Delhi seeks to counter what it sees as intensifying Chinese aggression in the region. A clash on the countries' Himalayan border in 2020 resulted in the deaths of 20 Indian and four Chinese soldiers.While India and Taiwan don't have formal diplomatic relations, Modi has sought to <a target="_blank" href="https://www.anz.com/institutional/insights/articles/2024-05/the-india-taiwan-economic-corridor-can-flourish/">strengthen economic ties with Taiwan</a> in his 10 years in office.An employment pact between the two countries could allow Indians to work in Taiwan. Meanwhile, Taiwan is seeking to increase its investment in India. John Deng, Taiwan's longest-serving cabinet member, told the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.ft.com/content/c3bde062-e308-409b-8832-ca6acaf4febb">Financial Times</a> in April that there was "a foundation for India and Taiwan to move forward" with a trade deal."Taiwanese investments will help India develop its manufacturing infrastructure," he added. "India is competing with China as a global manufacturing hub, and this represents an opportunity for Taiwan to step up its business ties."

Modi went straight from reelection to needling China

India was the fourth largest military spender globally in 2023 with an expenditure of USD 83.6 billion, behind the US, China and Russia, according to a report by an independent international think-tank. The report by Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) shared on its website in April also said the "rise" in global military spending last year can be attributed "primarily to the ongoing war in Ukraine and escalating geopolitical tensions in Asia and Oceania and the Middle East". The military expenditure went up in all five geographical regions, with major spending increases recorded in Europe, Asia and Oceania and the Middle East, it said. The report comes amid ongoing conflicts in various parts of the world such as the ones involving Israel-Hamas, Iran-Israel, Russian-Ukraine besides volatility in the Red Sea region. "World military expenditure increased for the ninth consecutive year in 2023, reaching a total of USD 2443 billion. The 6.8 per cent increase in 2023 was the steepest year-on-year rise since 2009 and pushed global spending to the highest level SIPRI has ever recorded," according to the report. The <keyword id="21404979" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="world-military-burden" source="keywords">world military burden</keyword> -- defined as military spending as a percentage of global gross domestic product (GDP) -- increased to 2.3 per cent in 2023. Average military expenditure as a share of government expenditure rose by 0.4 percentage points to 6.9 per cent in 2023 and world military spending per person was the highest since 1990 at USD 306, it added. With military expenditure of USD 83.6 billion in 2023, India was the "fourth largest spender globally". Indian spending was up by 4.2 per cent from 2022 and by 44 per cent from 2014. The increase in India's military spending was "mainly a result of growing personnel and operations costs" which made up almost 80 per cent of the total military budget in 2023, the <keyword id="20911352" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="SIPRI-report" source="keywords">SIPRI report</keyword> claimed. "This aligns with the government's priority to strengthen the operational readiness of the armed forces amid ongoing tensions with China and Pakistan. In comparison, capital outlays to fund military procurement remained relatively stable at around 22 per cent of the budget in 2023," it said. A total of 75 per cent of these outlays went towards equipments produced domestically, which was the highest level ever and up from 68 per cent in the previous year. The continued shift towards domestic procurement reflects India's goal of becoming self-reliant in arms development and production, the think-tank said in its repot fact sheet shared on its website. The Indian Army has maintained that deployment of its troops and other elements along the LAC is "extremely robust" and "balanced". The eastern <keyword id="21271073" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Ladakh-border-standoff" source="keywords">Ladakh border standoff</keyword> erupted on May 5, 2020, following a violent clash in the Pangong Lake area. The ties between India and China nose-dived significantly following the clash in the Galwan Valley in June 2020 that marked the most serious military conflict between the two sides in decades. SIPRI is an independent international institute dedicated to research into conflict, armaments, arms control and disarmament. Established in 1966, it provides data, analysis and recommendations based on open sources to policymakers, researchers, media and the interested public. The Stockholm-based think-tank monitors developments in military expenditure worldwide and maintains the most comprehensive, consistent and extensive publicly available data source on military expenditure, according to its online portal. The US military spending was USD 916 billion in 2023, which was 2.3 per cent more than in 2022 and 9.9 per cent more than in 2014, the report said. The US remained by far the largest spender in the world, allocating 3.1 times more to the military than the second largest spender China. "The biggest percentage increase among all US military spending categories in 2023 was for 'research, development, test and evaluation (RDT&amp;E)". The Stockholm-based think-tank also said in its report that Ukraine was the "eighth largest spender" in 2023 after a spending surge of 51 per cent to reach USD 64.8 billion. This gave Ukraine "a military burden of 37 per cent and represented 58 per cent of total government spending". "Ukraine's military spending in 2023 was 59 per cent the size of Russia's. However, Ukraine also received at least USD 35 billion in military aid during the year, including USD 25.4 billion from the US. Combined, this aid and Ukraine's own military spending were equivalent to about 91 per cent of Russian spending," the report claimed. According to the report, Russia's military spending increased by 24 per cent to an estimated USD 109 billion in 2023. "China, the world's second largest military spender, allocated an estimated USD 296 billion to the military in 2023, an increase of 6 per cent from 2022. This was the 29th consecutive year-on-year rise in China's military expenditure. China accounted for half of total military spending across the Asia and Oceania region. Several of China's neighbours have linked their own spending increases to China's rising military expenditure," the Stockholm-based think-tank claimed in its report. In 2023, the 31 <keyword id="20763732" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="NATO-members" source="keywords">NATO members</keyword> accounted for USD 1,341 billion, equal to 55 per cent of the world's military expenditure, the report said. 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India fourth largest military spender globally in 2023: SIPRI report

<ul class="summary-list"><li>India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi had his power pegged back in elections this week. </li><li>It was also the 35th anniversary of the Tiananmen Square massacre in China. </li></ul><a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/narendra-modi-won-already-seeing-cost-him-allies-cabinet-funding-2024-6">Narendra Modi's strongman ambitions</a> suffered a setback this week.His Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) party fell<a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/narendra-modi-win-bjp-india-election-explained-2024-6"> short of the landslide victory </a>many had predicted in the Indian elections.As Modi becomes India's prime minister for a third time, his party will have to enter into a power-sharing agreement with alliance partners.It's a chastening lesson from the Indian electorate for Modi, who, while boosting India's global standing, has been accused of stoking division and weakening India's democracy.On the same day as the Indian election results, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.state.gov/on-the-35th-anniversary-of-tiananmen-square/">the world marked the 35th anniversary </a>of the June 4, 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre, which saw a brutal crackdown on pro-democracy protesters in Beijing.In the decades since, China has slid back into Maoist-style authoritarianism.The events this week highlighted how the competition between India and China is about more than raw power. It's also a competition between two very different political ideologies.<h2 id="6acd91a8-36b3-408f-85c1-259d5944f4e0">India is a flawed but thriving democracy</h2>India is the world's largest democracy. Its first elections were held in 1951-52 after it gained independence from Britain. Free elections have been held in nearly every election cycle since, with a coup in 1975 briefly threatening India's democratic status.It is a rare bright spot in a world where democracy seems to be in retreat. Even in the US, the global champion of democracy, former president Donald Trump is accused of launching an attempt to cling to power illegally after losing the 2020 election.<div type="image" title="Indian voters" height="683" width="1024" msid="110819479" hostid="261" sizebytes="88454"></div>"India isn't a perfect democracy but it is still a role model for developing nations, large or small. And given trends in some Western democracies, I would have to say that there are several things they, too, should be learning from India," said Jabin T. Jacob, an expert on India-China relations at Shiv Nadar University, India.India's democracy, though, faces a stern test under Modi, say critics. Global democracy watchdog <a target="_blank" href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-india-56393944">Freedom House in 2021</a> downgraded India's democratic status, saying Modi's Hindu nationalist movement had menaced journalists, attacked Muslims, and corroded civil liberties.Jacob said this week's results showed India's democracy remained resilient despite the pressures, while dealing a blow to a leader seen to have overstepped his authority."We have just seen an election in which the Indian electorate decided that their interests are best served by power shared more evenly among a set of political formations that represent diverse interests and aspirations. That is the essence of democracy," he said."The Indian electorate is a very mature one, and it has always intervened in a timely fashion against authoritarian tendencies in its rulers."It's unclear whether Modi will now double down on the nationalism he's championed or seek a more moderate path based on economic reform.<h2 id="c1fe728e-200a-4edb-8d77-94ea6111c952">China's rise comes at a high cost</h2>There are those in India, though, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.ft.com/content/daa87f88-ae0e-11e3-974d-00144feab7de">who have been astonished</a> at the speed and efficiency of China's rise to economic superpower status.China has become the world's second-largest economy, and the lives of millions of ordinary Chinese people have been transformed. Though India has made huge economic progress under Modi, it still lags behind.<div type="image" title="China high speed rail" height="644" width="1024" msid="110819477" hostid="261" sizebytes="117068"></div>"Perhaps the greatest challenge democracy faces in India is that is has failed to deliver the kind of sustained economic development enjoyed by neighbors like China over the last four decades. It has also failed to eliminate extreme poverty," wrote Chatham House <a target="_blank" href="https://www.chathamhouse.org/2022/04/democracy-india">analyst Gareth Price in 2022.</a>But with prosperity in China, has come reduced freedom.Since Tiananmen Square 35 years ago, China's Communist Party has rolled back many of the freedoms its citizens once had.Its current leader, Xi Jinping, has imposed a draconian surveillance state and is considered <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/china-xi-jinping-ai-wreak-havoc-america-world-economy-2024-6">China's most authoritarian ruler</a> since Mao Tse Tung.Dominic Chiu, an analyst with the Eurasia Group, told Business Insider that China's system had given it an economic advantage — but at a cost."China's one-party rule in the reform era enabled consistent long-term policymaking and economic planning," he said. "This benefited China's economy immensely when the leadership decided to liberalize markets, privatize industries, and open the country up to foreign investment." But, he said, China's repressive one-party system was also deterring investors. And with China's <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/china-falls-out-of-love-with-natural-diamonds-industry-struggles-2024-6">economy experiencing a steep </a>downturn, this poses a serious problem for its future growth.<h2 id="ebafe111-fa5e-49b8-95d3-f92a674d0da2">China and India vie for dominance</h2>Having achieved economic superpower status, China is now seeking to assert its power more aggressively both regionally and internationally.Tensions with India are increasing. In 2020, clashes along the countries' Himalayan border resulted in the death of 20 Indian soldiers and four Chinese.<div type="image" title="India-China border" height="683" width="1024" msid="110819475" hostid="261" sizebytes="158650"></div><a target="_blank" href="https://uk.news.yahoo.com/modi-mission-assert-indias-global-123002908.html">Analysts told BI</a> that building stronger alliances to counter Chinese aggression will be one of the core aims of Modi's third term.And its commitment to democracy hands it an important advantage, said Jacob."India's democratic status is critical for its international standing. It is an opportunity to develop a model of economic and political development that is both equitable and democratic and thus distinct from the aggressive capitalism of the US or the authoritarianism of the PRC," he said.In 2021, India entered<a target="_blank" href="https://uk.news.yahoo.com/modi-went-straight-reelection-needling-103142130.html"> into the "Quad" partnership </a>with democracies the US, Japan, and Australia, to counter what is perceived as growing Chinese aggression in the Pacific and Indian Ocean.It's a political alliance that would've been more difficult to broker if India was ruled by an authoritarian government,<a target="_blank" href="https://www.brookings.edu/articles/democracy-and-the-us-india-relationship/"> say observers.</a><h2 id="b9b7d5ac-0c25-43f4-adf2-9128d9242020">Competing nationalist visions</h2>Some analysts, though, say that the competition between India and China is not, at its core, about competing political systems but about competing nationalist visions.According to this interpretation, both Xi and Modi are committed to restoring what they see as their nation's rightful place at the top of the global order.But in his quest to strengthen India, critics are warning Modi not to undermine the commitment to democracy and pluralism they believe is at the heart of its post-independence success.Jacob said those in India jealous of China's economic might should look more closely at the reality."Indians who argue against democracy using the China comparison clearly don't understand anything about the reality of China and the Chinese people," he said.

The competition between India and China is about more than raw power

<ul class="summary-list"><li>China and Russia have good reasons for their partnership beyond just driving America crazy.</li><li>But there are plenty of issues that could derail this alliance.</li></ul>During the darkest days of the Cold War, in the 1950s, the West worried that the Soviet Union and China had joined forces to form a massive Communist bloc.But those fears proved overblown, as Beijing and Moscow soon went from allies to bitter enemies that clashed over their long border. Fast forward to today, and growing military ties have again raised the specter of a Sino-Russian alliance that unites two of the most powerful nations in the world.But this partnership is not a solid alliance like NATO that's built on mutual defense and interoperability of its forces. "The Sino-Russian relationship is probably best characterized as a marriage of two imperfect partners who share a deeply cynical view of the U.S.-led international order but often hold divergent visions of the order that they believe should replace it," according to a <a target="_blank" href="https://www.rand.org/pubs/research_reports/RRA2061-5.html">report</a> on Sino-Russian cooperation by the RAND Corp. think tank."These two imperfect partners realize some level of shared, albeit unequal, dependency while simultaneously harboring deep suspicions about whether they can trust or rely on the other," the study said.This may be scant comfort to Western leaders who fear a scenario where Russian aggression in Europe is simultaneous with a Chinese invasion of Taiwan, which would overstretch US resources and allow America's allies to be overwhelmed.Already, Russia's military and China's People's Liberation Army have held around 25 joint exercises since 2005, involving ships, aircraft and ground troops. Beijing and Moscow have teamed up to fly joint patrols, including a 2023 incident where they flew near <a target="_blank" href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/south-korea-china-russia-north-korea-warplanes-air-defense-zone/">South Korean airspace</a>.Equally important is that China has become a key enabler of Russia's war in Ukraine. With Western sanctions depriving Russia of key components such as electronics, China and its vast manufacturing base have emerged as a <a target="_blank" href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/brianbushard/2024/04/12/china-sending-russia-missile-and-drone-parts-for-ukraine-war-us-reportedly-warns/">major supplier</a> of microelectronics, drone parts, and other components.But these don't equate to the sort of integrated operations practiced by the US and Britain in World War II, where American troops served under British commanders and vice versa, or by NATO today."Policymakers and planners should avoid overestimating the state of military cooperation and operational integration that exists between Russia and China," RAND warned.<div type="image" title="China sent only a few thousand troops to Russia's massive 2018 war game of an estimated 300,000 participants." height="1345" width="2000" msid="111361949" hostid="261" sizebytes="385376"></div>Exercises involving Russian and Chinese forces have been "described as more 'parallel' than 'joint,' meaning that Russia's military and the PLA are given set tasks and timelines, perform them in synchronized yet independent fashion, and overall have limited interaction in such areas as planning and C2 [command and control]," RAND said. "For this reason, these exercises have in reality done relatively little to promote interoperability at either the operational or the tactical level."The result is military cooperation that is more symbolic than practical. "China's commitment to the exercises is relatively low," RAND said. "The PLA [People's Liberation Army] sent around 3,200 soldiers to Russia's 300,000-strong Vostok 2018 exercise and just 1,600 to Russia's Tsentr-2019 exercise (in which the Russian side fielded almost 130,000 soldiers). It appears that the PLA is more interested in learning from Russia than in sharing insights into its own military capabilities or training as equal partners, whereas, for Russia, the goal is to present an image of joint cooperation with China to the West to counter an impression that Moscow is isolated and vulnerable."Mark Cozad, who co-authored the RAND study, contrasted these arrangements with NATO or US-South Korean military integration. "NATO and the US-South Korea plan to fight as alliances which means that training needs to develop and train combined command and control, targeting, ISR [intelligence and reconnaissance], logistics, and operations among other areas," Cozad told Business Insider. "Also, there is a much more rigorous approach to training in these alliances meaning the training is generally much more realistic than what we see out of the Russians and Chinese."Despite boasting of their military ties, Russia and China don't have much faith in each other's military prowess. After Russia's dismal combat performance in Ukraine, the question is "whether China would view the Russian military as a capable and useful coalition partner," the report said. On the other hand, given China's lack of recent combat experience, "Moscow may view the PLA as a well-resourced but questionable partner."Some alliances are tighter than others. America and Britain were part of the Grand Alliance with the Soviet Union, in which Russia and the Western Allies waged parallel and mostly uncoordinated campaigns in an atmosphere of mutual distrust. Capitalist and Communist could agree on the need to defeat Hitler, but not much else.In their 2001 friendship treaty, China and Russia did agree to consult with each other should either nation be attacked. But they didn't promise to fight on each other's behalf. "Notably, this agreement does not include a mutual defense clause," the RAND study pointed out.Successful alliances require partners to subordinate their interests for the good of the alliance, and that's a huge problem for Russia and China. Both nations have a tradition of being the dominant partner in alliances and of bullying their allies, whether it was the Soviet Union bossing their Eastern European satellites, or China treating neighbors such as Vietnam and Korea as vassals."Neither China nor Russia has a recent history of an interoperable military alliance with any other country, much less any history of joint C2 [command and control] structures or devolving authority to field commanders to innovate and partner to solve operational challenges," said the report.Besides the pleasure of driving America crazy, military cooperation between China and Russia does offer tangible benefits. China, which has not fought a war since invading Vietnam in 1979, can learn from Russian combat experience in Syria and Ukraine. Russia gets access to Chinese products that are under sanction in the West. Good relations means the 2,600-mile-long Russia-China border can be demilitarized, allowing forces to be concentrated in Ukraine or for an invasion of Taiwan.Yet there are plenty of issues that could derail this alliance. One is the immense amount of historical baggage weighing down their relations. "The Russians and Chinese have had a mixed relationship for over 75 years at this point that has included both strategic partnership and intense hostility," Cozad noted.China hasn't forgotten that Tsarist Russia <a target="_blank" href="https://chinamediaproject.org/2023/03/24/on-national-humiliation-dont-mention-the-russians/">annexed</a> 350,000 square miles of Chinese territory in the 1850s. In 1969, Chinese and Russian troops fought <a target="_blank">border clashes</a> along the Ussuri River (at one point, the Soviets considered a <a target="_blank" href="https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/china/7720461/USSR-planned-nuclear-attack-on-China-in-1969.html">nuclear strike</a> on China). Today, there is competition over Central Asia, Chinese unease over Russia's war in Ukraine, and the fact that Russia is inexorably becoming the junior partner as Chinese economic and military power grows.Which raises the question: can the West exploit these potential divisions to break up the Sino-Russian alliance? RAND emphatically warns against trying. "We advocate not trying to undermine the Russia-China partnership because we don't have many tools or incentives that either of those two partners sees as more valuable than their partnership," Cozad said. While the Chinese may want things from the US, "they are skeptical that in five or 10 years that incentive can again be taken away and then they have damaged their relationship with Russia while losing that incentive."Instead, RAND suggests that the best response would be for the US and its allies to ally more closely. "The most effective way for the United States to counter the Russia-China strategic partnership is by ensuring the health of its own alliances and pursuing ever greater cooperation with its most important allies and partners," the report recommended.In the end, successful alliances are a mixture not just of national self-interest, but of shared values. That may be the real difference between an alliance like NATO, most of whose members share a belief in democracy, individual rights and free trade, versus a Sino-Russian friendship based on the question of "what's in it for me."Michael Peck is a defense writer whose work has appeared in Forbes, Defense News, Foreign Policy magazine, and other publications. He holds an MA in political science from Rutgers Univ. Follow him on <a target="_blank" href="https://www.twitter.com/@mipeck1">Twitter</a> and <a target="_blank" href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/mipeck/">LinkedIn</a>.

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