‘Inch towards Miles’ is Modi mantra as Xi arrives today

Apart from the investment deals, sources told The Indian Express, New Delhi wants a stronger commitment from China on the issue of terrorism since Beijing is also battling with incidents of terrorism in its western parts — in Xinjiang province.

With recent incidents in Tiananmen Square, Beijing and Taiyuan, China too is emerging as a casualty although with a much lower level of collateral damage when compared with India. A common thread for both countries is terrorism with radical Islamic leanings, which finds safe havens at a number of locations in South Asia and beyond.

While China needs to fully comprehend the damage potential of religious extremism emanating from Pakistan, New Delhi’s negotiators are trying to impress upon them about the need to use Beijing’s close military links and aid to Pakistan’s military and intelligence agencies to curb terrorist elements.

Sources said that while New Delhi feels that China, with its strong influence over Pakistan’s leadership and military, can exercise useful leverage in controlling religious extremism, it is mindful of Beijing’s approach towards Islamabad and Rawalpindi.

So, the joint paragraph being negotiated by both Indian and Chinese interlocutors is expected to make a formulation that the two sides will not allow their territories to be used for activities against the other — without mentioning Pakistan. Sources said a stronger denouncement of terrorism, along with possibilities of cooperation under the rubric of Russia-India-China trilateral mechanism, is expected to figure in the discussions as well as the joint document.

Modi is also likely to gift a copy of the Gita to the Chinese President, talk about Buddhism values and make a bid for peace in the region.

When asked by the Chinese media about Xi’s initiative to revive the maritime silk route, Modi said, “I believe that the re-emergence of the natural trading routes would make a major contribution to building a prosperous Asia in this century.” He said the ancient silk and spice routes promoted the exchange of ideas, cultures, art, religion and spiritualism.

On the unresolved issue of border dispute, Modi talked about strengthening “our strategic communication”, a theme mentioned during the meeting between the two leaders in Brazil on the sidelines of the BRICS summit, and about enhancing “mutual trust and confidence; showing sensitivity to each other’s concerns and interests; continuing to maintain a climate of peace, stability and tranquillity in our relations; and, seizing the opportunities for bilateral cooperation and international partnership”.

Sounding optimistic about the visit of the Chinese President, he said, “The arithmetic and chemistry of our relations convinced me that together we can script history and create a better tomorrow for all of mankind.”

He went on to narrate how sugar in Hindi is called “cheeni”. “It is not known as cheeni for nothing. It is because of the Chinese technology that we were able to refine the sugar and make it pure and hence the people of India started calling sugar as cheeni. There is a history of deep ties between our people and between our countries,” he said.