However, the end of the military faceoff between India and China along the Line of Actual Control in eastern Ladakh was the high point in the foreign policy domain.A brutal clash at Galwan Valley in June 2020 that killed 20 Indian soldiers and an unspecified number of Chinese soldiers took relations between the two nuclear-armed neighbours to their lowest point in six decades.Following an understanding reached on October 21, the two sides completed the disengagement of troops at the two remaining friction points of Demchok and Depsang.Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping held talks on the margins of the BRICS Summit in Russia on October 23 and agreed to revive various bilateral dialogue mechanisms, signalling an intention to normalise the relations.In the nearly 50-minute meeting, Modi underscored the importance of properly handling differences and disputes and not allowing them to disturb peace and tranquillity in border areas.Nearly four weeks later, the Special Representatives on the border issue — India’s National Security Adviser Ajit Doval and China’s foreign minister Wang Yi held talks in Beijing. It was the first dialogue under the framework of Special Representatives in nearly five years.In the talks, Doval and Wang focused on “positive” direction for cross-border cooperation including resuming the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra, river data sharing and border trade.There were indications of some positive approach in India-Pakistan relations as External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar travelled to Islamabad in October to attend a summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO). It was the first such visit from India to Pakistan in nearly a decade that came amid frosty ties between the two neighbours.Jaishankar’s exchange of pleasantries and brief interaction with Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar triggered hopes of better ties between the two neighbours.However, India’s relations with Bangladesh also came under severe strain after deposed prime minister Hasina fled the country in the face of a massive anti-government protest that ended her near 16-year rule.Hasina, 77, has been living in India since August 5.The relations nosedived dramatically after the interim government headed by Muhammad Yunus failed to contain attacks on minorities, especially Hindus, in that country.This month, the Yunus-government sent a diplomatic note to New Delhi seeking extradition of Hasina, a move that may further strain the ties.
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