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Five years after the deadly clashes in the Galwan Valley that severely strained ties, India and China now appear to be moving toward normalization of relations.

While the US President Donald Trump’s tariff war may have nudged the two Asian powers closer, the current thaw stems largely from sustained confidence-building measures and dialogue. For Kathmandu, cordial relations between India and China create a more favorable environment to engage constructively with both New Delhi and Beijing.

On both the Doklam and the Galwan clashes, Nepal consistently maintained that disputes should be resolved peacefully. Following the Galwan incident, Nepal stated: “In the context of recent developments in the Galwan Valley area between our friendly neighbors India and China, Nepal is confident that both the neighboring countries will resolve, in the spirit of good neighborliness, their mutual differences through peaceful means in favor of bilateral, regional and world peace and stability.”

Over the past year, multiple rounds of dialogue helped rebuild trust. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi visited India on Aug 18–19, where discussions included the sensitive border question. Earlier, in July, Indian External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar traveled to Beijing.

India has long maintained that relations cannot return to normal unless border issues are addressed. In delegation-level talks, Jaishankar remarked: “Having seen a difficult period in our relationship, our two nations seek to move ahead. This requires a candid and constructive approach from both sides. Overall, it is our expectation that our discussions would contribute to building a stable, cooperative and forward-looking relationship between India and China, one that serves both our interests and addresses our concerns.”

On the global context, he added: “We seek a fair, balanced and multi-polar world order, including a multi-polar Asia. Reformed multilateralism is also the call of the day. In the current environment, there is clearly the imperative of maintaining and enhancing stability in the global economy as well.”

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, for his part, urged both sides to draw lessons from the past, cultivate a correct strategic outlook, and view each other as partners and opportunities rather than rivals or threats. He emphasized confidence-building, expanded cooperation and consolidating positive momentum. Pointing to the US, Wang warned that “unilateral bullying practices are on the rise, while free trade and the international order face severe challenges.”

This thaw in India-China ties comes at a time when New Delhi’s relations with Washington have soured after Trump imposed an additional 25 percent tariff on Indian goods, citing India’s continued imports of Russian oil. Meanwhile, China and the US have been locked in a trade and technology war since 2018.

According to Kathmandu-based geopolitical analyst Chandra Dev Bhatta, shifting global geopolitics has compelled both India and China to temporarily set aside differences. “Both countries now recognize each other as competing powers, not necessarily the binary rivals often portrayed in Western media,” he said. “The backdrop to these developments is important for countries like Nepal. For instance, the Trump administration’s tariff measures against India for its Russian oil imports came despite the fact that most major countries were doing the same, something that actually helped stabilize the global oil market, benefiting even Nepal.”

Bhatta added that India and China have long learned from each other, and countries in between stand to benefit if ties continue to improve. Closer relations could generate alternative ideas for development and global governance.

Still, he cautioned that states prioritize their own interests, especially in times of heightened geopolitics. “We too must focus on our own interests and prepare to navigate accordingly,” he said. “There’s an old saying: whether elephants fight or make love, it’s the grass that suffers. It may be old, but it remains relevant when external factors increasingly shape regional relations.”

Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli is leaving for Turkmenistan today, leading a Nepali delegation to attend the Third United Nations Conference on Landlocked Developing Countries. 

The conference is scheduled to take place in the City of Awaza on August 5-8.

According to the Foreign Ministry, Prime Minister Oli is visiting Turkmenistan at the official invitation of President of Turkmenistan, Serdar Berdimuhamedow, and UN General-Secretary Antonio Guterres.   

During the conference, PM Oli is scheduled to address the programme in the capacity of Chair of the Global Coordination Bureau of Least Developed Countries.

Similarly, the Prime Minister would co-chair one of the high-level roundtable meetings and also deliver remarks at various programmes.

On the sideline of the conference, PM Oli will hold bilateral talks with heads of the delegation from various countries, as well as high-level office-bearers of the UN and other international organisations.

Prime Minister Oli would be accompanied by his wife Radhika Shakya, Chief Advisor Bishnu Prasad Rimal, federal parliament member Surya Bahadur Thapa Chhetri, and senior government officials.

PM Oli is scheduled to return home on August 8. (RSS)

Nepal and India have agreed to work toward the early conclusion of a revised extradition treaty during the Home Secretary Level Talks held in New Delhi on Tuesday. The Indian delegation was led by Home Secretary Govind Mohan, while Nepal’s team was headed by Home Secretary Gokarna Mani Duwadee. The two sides reviewed a wide range of bilateral security issues, including border management, and committed to further strengthening cooperation.

Key topics included the repair and maintenance of boundary pillars, tackling trans-border criminal activities, improving the functioning of Border District Coordination Committees, and upgrading infrastructure such as Integrated Check Posts (ICPs), roads, and rail links. Both sides also discussed institutional capacity building and enhancing disaster risk reduction and management efforts.

Notably, the delegations welcomed the finalization of the Agreement on Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters and reiterated their commitment to conclude the revised extradition treaty at the earliest. The two countries agreed to hold the next round of talks in Nepal on a mutually convenient date.

At least 67 Palestinians were killed while waiting for UN aid trucks in northern Gaza, according to the Hamas-run health ministry. The UN World Food Programme said its convoy was met by large crowds of hungry civilians who came under gunfire shortly after crossing into the territory.

The Israeli military claimed it fired warning shots to prevent a perceived threat and disputed the reported death toll. Gaza’s civil defence later said 93 people were killed across the Strip on Sunday, including 80 in the north, according to BBC.

Hospitals remain overwhelmed, with doctors warning of growing famine. One woman told BBC Arabic that people are surviving on “only water and salt”, and children are dying from hunger.