Nepal is “confident’’ that “friendly neighbours’’ India and China will resolve “their mutual differences through peaceful means’’. The foreign ministry of Nepal has issued a statement emphasising peace regional and world peace.
This is the first statement issued from a friendly country in India’s immediate neighbourhood. The statement is deliberately careful not to take sides, especially as India and Nepal remain embroiled in a tussle over territory too. Nepal in its press release says: “Nepal maintains that disputes between countries should be resolved through peaceful means.” Clarifying that the context, the statement makes it clear that Nepal is referring to the situation in Galwan Valley.
Nepal might have been mindful of ruffling no feathers, but US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo spared no punches.
"The PLA (People's Liberation Army) has escalated border tensions with India, the world's most populous democracy. It's militarising the South China Sea and illegally claiming more territory there, threatening vital sea lanes," said Mike Pompeo addressing a virtual address on "Europe and the China Challenge" during the 2020 Copenhagen Democracy Summit. Pompeo’s is the first outright support India has found (a viral tweet purported to be by President Trump said he stood by India, but which this was later found to be fake). How this will play out—given America’s complicated relationship with China the recent secret meeting in Hawaii to resolve ongoing issues—remains to be seen.
For the rest of the world, the response to the escalating tensions between India and China, which resulted in the worst body count on the Indian side since 1975, has been more nuanced. There has been an outpouring of condolence for the killing of 20 Indian soldiers by leaders across continents.
The Maldives Foreign Minister Abdulla Shahid tweeted “Maldives extends deepest condolences to the people of India for the lives lost in recent clashes on the border. Our thoughts and prayers are with the families, loved ones and communities of the soldiers.”
But most countries have stopped short of condemning China.
“Our deepest condolences to the people of India and to the families of the Indians soldiers who lost their lives in the line of duty at Galwan,’’ tweeted the Ambassador of Japan Santoshi Suzuki.
The UN too, issued a statement “concerned’’ about reports of violence and deaths at the Line of Actual Control between India and China. The UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres urged maximum restraint on both sides “We take positive note of reports that the two countries have engaged to de-escalate the situation” UN associate spokesperson Eri Kaneko. The EU statement too was equally nuanced.
Russia, however, is keen to play a role in defusing tensions. The Russia-India-China trilateral virtual meeting on COVID-19 scheduled for June 23 is expected to take place with India’s Minister of External Affairs S. Jaishankar and his counterpart in China Wang Yi expected to attend. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh too is expected to travel to Moscow for a three-day visit from June 24 for the Victory Day parade to commemorate the 75th Anniversary of World War II.
But, with the growing Sino-Russian understanding, whether Russia will throw its weight behind its old friend remains to be seen.