The Himalayas, often perceived as an impediment to mutual relations between India and China, have paradoxically been a facilitator of connectivity for the past 3,500 years. Despite their role in historical conflicts over the last 35 years, these massive mountain ranges have also served as bridges rather than barriers.

While many recognize the Silk Road as the primary route enabling trade between the East and the Middle East—starting, of course, with silk—few acknowledge its offshoots across the Himalayas that led to India, facilitating not just trade but also cultural exchange. The quest to explore the inner philosophies of Buddhism and the Maurya Empire was so profound that Chinese explorers like Hiuen Tsang (Xuanzang in China) saw the Himalayan mountain ranges as a necessary challenge to traverse in pursuit of nirvana.

In modern history, the mountain barricade did not prevent Indian citizens from extending help to China. During the Chinese resistance against Japanese aggression, many Indians sacrificed their lives to support the Chinese people. One such inspiring example is Dr. Kotnis, a medical doctor from Maharashtra, who was honored posthumously by Chairman Mao with a statue in his memory.

Cost of prolonged conflict

On April 1, 2025, as India and China celebrate the 75th anniversary of their diplomatic relations, it is crucial to recognize not just the 3,500-km-long Himalayan boundary that connects the two nations but also their 3,500 years of shared intellectual and cultural history, which present remarkable opportunities for global sustainability.

Like the valleys of mighty rivers originating from the Himalayas, India-China relations have experienced fluctuations—sometimes frozen like glaciers, at other times turbulent like rapidly melting glacial lakes. Over the past two centuries, the emergence of divergent political ideologies, economic competition, and territorial claims have heightened the threat of widespread conflicts. How India and China have managed such crises offers valuable lessons in diplomacy. Scholars of shuttle and ping-pong diplomacy can now analyze 20th- and 21st-century examples of successful bilateral mediation.

Western diplomats often overlook the fact that no other two countries share such a colossal, sky-high natural boundary. In the context of ongoing, deadly wars that could escalate into genocides, India and China have positioned themselves as thoughtful practitioners of preventive diplomacy, averting major uncontrolled conflicts.

The rancor and acrimony of the 1962 war, particularly following the brief era of camaraderie epitomized by the "Hindi Chini Bhai Bhai" slogan and the Panchsheel Agreement (Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence), have not diminished the intensity of purpose and mutual understanding between the two nations. The Working Mechanism for Consultation & Coordination on India-China Border Affairs (WMCC) demonstrates their shared recognition that neither country can afford to discount or provoke the other. Their cooperation in managing border issues, including the Kailash-Mansarovar Yatra pilgrimage, underscores this reality.

Common planetary challenges

A largely overlooked opportunity lies in addressing what the UN Secretary-General terms the "Triple Crisis"—Air Pollution, Biodiversity Loss, and Climate Change. India and China, the world's two most populous nations, must forge a selective alliance in their shared interest, acknowledging their unique geographical positions and self-imposed sustainability targets under the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and Net Zero Targets.

The diplomacy of restraint, recently practiced by both nations, can be a powerful asset in achieving ambitious climate targets. By working as complementary partners rather than competitors, India and China can manage growth and societal well-being in a more inclusive and sustainable manner, thereby mitigating the planet-wide existential threat of climate change.

Together, India and China represent 27% of the world's GDP in purchasing power parity (PPP) terms—on par with Europe and the USA, which collectively account for 30%. However, a key differentiator is their committed strategy for implementing climate goals under the Paris Climate Agreement through their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs). Notably, both nations have exceeded their NDC targets ahead of schedule. They collectively account for nearly 70% of the world's renewable energy. Both are accelerating efforts to reduce carbon intensity and expand forest cover. Presidents Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Narendra Modi have emerged as champions of sustainable development and coexistence with nature and ecosystems.

Heralding new era in relations

The meeting of the two leaders in Kazan, Russia, in October 2024, followed by Prime Minister Modi's podcast in March 2025, marked significant turning points in post-75-year India-China diplomatic relations. PM Modi's call for positive engagement was well received in China. The emerging diplomatic mantra is now "dialogue over discord," ensuring that differences do not escalate into disputes. The new approach emphasizes consensus through cooperation, healthy competition rather than confrontation, and a shared vision for the Global South’s rising role in global peace and prosperity.

A Chinese spokesperson, responding to PM Modi’s podcast, stated, "A cooperative pas de deux of the dragon and the elephant is the only right choice for China and India." The 75th anniversary of diplomatic ties offers an opportunity to deepen exchanges and cooperation across various fields, fostering healthy and stable China-India relations.

From April 1, 2025, no one expects an overnight transformation into a utopian, peaceful world. However, optimism is in the air. This optimism could serve as a catalyst for an alliance between China and India to tackle urgent yet overlooked environmental crises:

• Biodiversity loss

• Health impacts of air pollution

• Carbon emissions from rapid technological acceleration, including AI

• Recycling of e-waste, solar panels, and EV batteries

• The escalating global water crisis exacerbated by climate change

China and India are destined to be giants in the global economy and ecology. Their relationship will shape the future of global integration and cooperation. Their global footprints—despite short-lived disruptions by certain powerful nations—can steer the world towards greater respect for the environment and nature itself.

A century ago, Nobel Laureate Rabindranath Tagore remarked, “Friends, I don't know why, but when I come to China, it feels like returning to my hometown. I have always felt that India is an extremely close relative of China and that we are very old and dear brothers." The time has come to rekindle that bond.

(The author is a noted environmentalist, former Director of UNEP, and Founder Director of the Green TERRE Foundation, Pune, India. Views are personal. He can be reached at shende.rajendra@gmail.com.)