India–China defence talks inch forward, but substance matters more than sound bites. It’s time to move past platitudes to verifiable progress.
The 18th round of Corps Commander-level talks and the subsequent ministerial meeting kept channels open — a baseline achievement in itself. Yet the frontier remains tense, with localised force concentrations and infrastructure build-up on both sides. Grandstanding at pressers cannot substitute for mutual, monitorable steps on the ground.
Three moves would signal seriousness: (1) a transparent schedule for phased disengagement in remaining friction points, (2) joint verification mechanisms using agreed maps and patrol logs, and (3) restoration of confidence-building measures such as prior notice of exercises. Simultaneously, New Delhi must diversify supply chains and bolster border logistics — prudence, not provocation.
Strategic patience is vital, but patience without benchmarks becomes drift. The public deserves clarity over clichés.