Rabindranath Tagore, one of India’s most celebrated writers and champions of globalisation, described the contact between the peoples of India and China as “muffled footsteps”.
A short high-altitude war in 1962 over the Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh made these footsteps far fainter in the 20 years that followed. Rising trade and investment have made them more audible in recent years but almost 50 years on both sides are wary of each other’s political differences.
Nirupama Rao, India’s top diplomat talks about contradictions having to be “managed” between two rising Asian powers. China describes the relationship across the Himalayas as “very fragile” and not easily repaired once damaged.