Why in news?
India risks being “isolated” if it decides not to attend the Chinese Belt and Road Forum on May 14-15, a senior Chinese official said.
What is the issue?
- Indian government is yet to decide about its participation in the Chinese Belt and Road forum.
- Both Japan and the United States are not participating in the 60-nation Belt and Road infrastructure initiative, but are sending delegations to the forum.
- The forum is been attended by 28 leaders and more than 100 countries are sending official delegations.
- All India’s neighbours will be attending.
- Mainstream and trade ties between India and China remained strong, but issues like India’s NSG membership and push for the U.N. to designate Masood Azhar as a terrorist, both of which are blocked by China, as well as the Dalai Lama’s recent visit to Arunachal Pradesh had put a strain on their political relationship.
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Xi Jinping will meet at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit in Kazakhstan in June despite the recent spate in ties.
- India has made it clear that it is impossible to attend the forum as long as China considers the CPEC projects planned in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir for Gilgit-Baltistan as a part of the Belt and Road initiative due to concerns over “sovereignty.”
Source: The Hindu
