China and India Seek Joint Role in South Asian Development and Security

China and India have moved beyond a tentative bilateral reset, marked by Xi Jinping’s first India visit in nearly seven years and Modi’s prior attendance at the SCO summit in Tianjin. The thaw includes resumed direct flights, relaxed visa and investment restrictions, and the reopening of three border trade routes after a six-year hiatus. While both powers have independently provided aid after Nepal’s recent glacial-induced floods, the piece calls for a shared Himalayan water-diplomacy framework, possibly led by Nepal, China and India.

It notes overlapping infrastructure investments, such as the Koshi Corridor in Nepal, and stresses the need for joint action on water sharing, development projects, and stability in Afghanistan and Myanmar. The author suggests that coordinated regional engagement would allow India to stay central while offering transparency on Chinese initiatives, reinforcing a long-term strategic alignment between the two giants.