TO describe the bilateral relations between India and China as a (dragon-elephant) tango is just preposterous. On the ground, what is witnessed is only a tangle whose loose ends are just not visible or available to untangle the innumerable knots that block any proper definition from being attempted. Yet, on the 75th anniversary of relations between the two countries, Chinese President Mr. Xi Jinping has chosen to use the word tango - - meaning ‘dance’ -- of the Chinese dragon and the Indian elephant. In tune with the calling of the occasion, Indian leadership, too, has shared congratulatory sentiments with their Chinese counterparts.

 

Yet, speaking frankly, there is no one who can capably recognise and define the actual texture of the bilateral relations between two Asian powers. Expression of mutual goodwill -- a serious diplomatic requirement -- by the leaders of the two countries has its own significance, all right. Yet, on the ground of reality, both the countries know that achieving a tango-like mutuality is far more difficult than writing simplistic poetry. Of course, the realism of the situation should not and need not stop India and China from trying to achieve some cordiality in relations. That is exactly the attempt at least India has been engaged in for the past several years, or even decades. Despite all those conciliatory overtures, the Indian side knows fully well that the Chinese have designed a craft case based on utter falsehood to lay claims on vast Indian lands -- a proposal to which India can never agree. True, even in the economic relations, China’s conduct is far from ideal, and tends to irritate India every now and then.

 

Despite this, the economic relations between India and China have improved over time, and the volume of mutual trade has increased manifolds. However, reasonable economic relations do not actually mean much on the ground where strategic thought-process almost always dominates considerations. When China has been pushing an entirely false narrative onto India, it is just not possible for New Delhi to accept cosmetic words to be used to paper over the fault-lines of adversarial relationship. Against this background, a “dragon-elephant” tango is just out of question as Beijing has no inclination to extend genuine hand of friendship with New Delhi. So, what China does is to press into service new narratives all the time to add value to the definition of sensible mutual relations.

 

Therefore the current suggestion of the “dragon-elephant” tango. Some time ago, the Chinese suggestion was that together, India and China have the world’s biggest demography -- which can make the two countries invincible together. Still earlier, that is around the year 2010 when Mrs. Pratibha Patil became the first Indian President in a decade to visit China, Beijing talked of the premium India and China enjoyed with common water heritage in the Himalayan region. So the dragon-elephant tango does not suggest anything more than a periodic Chinese overture to keep India in a good humour at least for sometime. Prime Minister Mr. Narendra Modi, too, had expressed a sincere optimism about India’s relations with China -- on an international podcast interview. Beijing responded positively and hoped to build upon that sentiment to improve the mutual relations. Then came an statement of the Chinese Army that it would be happy to work together with the Indian Army to improve bilateral ties. Such overtures from the Chinese have to be taken with a pinch of salt, as they say. Of course, India will keep playing along -- but fully aware that with China, things may have to wait for eternity before a genuine and honest Chinese move comes up.