Modi's China visit: A historical perspective

Almost a week before completing a year in office, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is embarking upon a trip to China. This will be his first visit to that country as PM. This three-day trip is part of a six-day tour to China, Mongolia and South Korea. India has made it clear the visit is aimed at augmenting Chinese investments. Business Standard takes a look at visits by Indian and Chinese premiers to each other’s countries

JAWAHARLAL NEHRU
Oct 1954
Nehru and Chinese Premier Zhou Enlai drove in an open car from the Beijing airport, with millions of Chinese cheering and forming a beeline to get a glimpse of the Indian prime minister. India-China agreement over Tibet was signed

RAJIV GANDHI
Sept 1988
The five-day visit, high on symbolism, helped improve the relationship after the 1962 war. India and China decided to set up a joint working group (JWG) to deal with the boundary dispute.  

P V NARASIMHA RAO
Sept 1993
Both nations agreed they would respect the Line of Actual Control (LAC) and not encourage military confrontations in the Himalayan region. The India-China Expert Group of Diplomatic and Military officers was set up to assist JWG.  

 

ATAL BIHARI VAJPAYEE
Jun 2003
Delhi and Beijing decided not to view each other as ‘threats’. India agreed to recognise Tibet as part of China. The following year, China accepted Sikkim as an integral part of India  

MANMOHAN SINGH
Jan 2008 & Oct 2013
In 2008, a joint document titled ‘A Shared Vision for the 21st Century’ was issued to expedite the process of cooperation. In 2013, agreements relating to border, trans-border rivers, establishing centres for servicing power equipment in India, road transport and Nalanda University were signed.

ZHOU ENLAI
May 1960
Zhou tried to settle the border dispute peacefully by offering a package deal, which accepted the McMohan Line in the eastern sector but in bargain wanted India to accept their claims in the Aksai Chin region of the western sector. Experts believe had Nehru accepted the offer, the war of 1962 could have been averted.

JIANG ZEMIN
Nov-Dec 1996
The first visit by a Chinese head of state since diplomatic relationship was established in 1950.

HU JINTAO
Nov 2006
Both countries agreed to double bilateral trade to $40 billion by 2010 and encourage two-way investments.

XI JINPING
Sept 2014
16 agreements signed. The Chinese agreed to establish two industrial parks in India and expressed intent to enhance Chinese investment in India.