Jairam Ramesh referred to External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar’s meeting with Chinese Vice President Han Zheng on July 14, during which Jaishankar noted that India-China relations had been “steadily improving” since Prime Minister Modi’s meeting with President Xi Jinping in Kazan last October.Jaishankar had stated that further normalisation could yield “mutually beneficial outcomes.”However, Ramesh questioned this optimism, pointing to China’s recent actions, including its backing of Pakistan during Operation Sindoor.He cited Deputy Chief of Army Staff Lt Gen Rahul R Singh, who said India faced three adversaries during the operation, with China providing real-time intelligence to Pakistan.He also warned of Pakistan’s likely acquisition of advanced Chinese J-35 stealth fighter jets and highlighted China’s restrictions on exports to India of key materials like rare-earth magnets, speciality fertilisers, and tunnel-boring machinery, crucial for Indian infrastructure projects.“Key sectors such as telecom, pharmaceuticals, and electronics remain heavily reliant on Chinese imports,” Ramesh said, adding that India’s trade deficit with China had surged to a record $99.2 billion.He further noted the exit of hundreds of Chinese workers from Foxconn facilities in India, potentially derailing the country’s ambitions to become a major manufacturing base for Apple.
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