Sino-Indian ties must escape trap of the past

GT: How would you define the current stage of India-China relations?

Jaishankar: I would say that we are now beginning to move into a more mature phase of our relationship.

What I mean by “more mature” is that the relationship between India and China has more content, contact and comfort. It is moving toward a better stage.

GT: During your term as ambassador, what do you think will be the biggest challenge in improving India-China relations?

Jaishankar: The biggest challenge to me is that of the mindset. The reason I say it’s mindset is that I think it’s important that everybody takes a strategic view of the relationship.

We can’t always remain trapped in the past. We need to get along with each other. And frankly, we need to be seen to get along.

The mindset is not just about the past, but also toward the future. I am not sure if I want to get into talking about the problems in the past. Personally I would rather be focusing on the opportunities in the future.

GT: Both the Chinese and Indian media occasionally take an unfriendly or even hostile tone toward the other country. What do you think needs to be done to clear the air?

Jaishankar: It’s important to understand we won’t always read what we want to read in the media.

Part of the reason for the negative tones and reports is leftovers from the past, part of it is that there are still some issues in our relationship, and part of it is that there aren’t enough explanations that are offered on some important issues, which leads people to speculate about more than what there really is.

Rather than keep asking about the actions of the media, it is more important to improve the message, instead of worrying too much about the messenger. By message, I mean things that have actually been done between China and India.

It is important to keep things happening, especially positive things. So if the message itself is positive, the tone that messengers use will change too. But if the message remains unclear, then certainly people will have negative thoughts.

It is important to reshape the relationship to push media reporting to a more positive direction.

GT: There are still border conflicts between India and China. What effect do you think this issue will have on India-China relations?

Jaishankar: Well, it is an issue. We cannot get away from it. But again, I think it is important to appreciate what has been done in the last 15 or 20 years. The fact is, we have an agreement on maintaining peace and tranquility on the border. And we have an agreement on confidence-building measures on the border, and the guiding principles and political parameters on how we are going to approach the border issue.

To say that we are where we were is not true. A lot of things have taken place in the last 10 years and some quite recently.

We should look at the progress that has been made and if we do that, we can see the border issue from a totally different perspective in the relationship.

The important thing is, we are talking and we are progressing, so it is good news.

GT: As the two biggest developing countries in Asia, how could China and India promote cooperation to increase the influence of Asia in international affairs?

Jaishankar: One of the big challenges and opportunities in front of us is, with both countries rising rapidly at the same time, we can use the common interests between us.

Take climate change. It is an issue of great concern for both countries. So are trade rules and regulations and the issue of migration.

These are the issues that should concern both nations. But in reality, we don’t seem to think about them too much in our relations.

We share a long history of common interest in traditional medicine, cultural heritage, and some complex and intangible issues. We should look at those issues as a whole and work together on those things to promote the cooperation between the two countries.

GT: What about education?

Jaishankar: Education is a field which has become a hot topic only in recent years. We now have about 7,000 Indian students studying in China. The number is growing. There are a lot fewer Chinese students in India.

But as we put more effort in promoting education between China and India, there will be more students going to the other country to study the language and culture.

There are two approaches to this matter. One is to let it happen on its own, and the other is to do something to make it happen. The second approach, I think, is the right one.

GT: Trade frictions between China and India have also been increasing in recent years, such as the restriction on importing Chinese toys last year. What do you think needs to be done to build a healthy bilateral trade environment?

Jaishankar: The best thing we can do is actually be realistic on one hand, and be fair on the other. Why realistic? The only way to avoid trade frictions is not to have trade at all, which is impossible. It is natural to have some issues when two countries have trade.

What matters is whether the issues are being dealt objectively. At the end of the day, it’s about whether the trade is progressing or not.

In 2008, trade between China and India was $52 billion. In 2009, despite the global slowdown, the amount was $43 billion. The first two months of 2010 have been really encouraging, a positive $9 billion. We can expect a historic high in 2010 if the trend continues.

In terms of specific actions, India is not taking actions against China on its export products. If we were, how could China be doing so well in exporting to India? The fact is, China is doing phenomenally well in terms of exporting products to India.

Our concern is that there is an imbalance there. It is a lack of market access to China for Indian companies. India exports less to China than China does to India.

Of course, there cannot be an equal amount with any country in international trade.

But in this case, I think Indian companies do not have good enough access to the Chinese market.

We feel that market access in China could improve a lot. We are looking at four areas: IT products, pharmaceuticals, engineering goods and services, and agriculture and meat products. We are working hard to improve the competitiveness of the Indian companies in those four areas.

So there are trade conflicts, but if anyone has concerns, it should be India because Chinese exports are doing much better. In trade, you need to talk your way through, and see what could be done.

GT: 2010 is the “Year of India” for China and the “Year of China” for India. How can we further cultural communication?

Jaishankar: What India is planning to do this year is a very ambitious cultural programme. This includes Indian performing arts, such as classical and modern dancing, and martial arts just like the kung fu in China. We also want to bring Indian films to China and host some culinary festivals in China.

China and India have a long history of cultural contacts. Having been living in China for seven months, I can see the influence Indian culture has had on China, not only in Buddhism, but also in other areas.

If we have good cultural exchange and communication, the two peoples will have a better understanding and appreciation of each other’s culture.

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