Putin's 'unprecedented' visit will consolidate China-India rapprochement, says Professor Eden Pereira.
In an interview with the New York-Beijing program, a historian points to Russia's role as a mediator and highlights the impact of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation.
247 - Russian President Vladimir Putin’s four-day visit to China, announced by the Kremlin as “unprecedented,” should consolidate the rapprochement between Beijing and New Delhi. This is the assessment of professor and researcher Eden Pereira, interviewed this Thursday (28) by the New York-Beijing program, of TV 247.
According to Pereira, Russia plays a strategic role in mediating Sino-Indian relations, which date back to border disputes inherited from the colonial period and worsened in 2020 with clashes in the Himalayas. “Russia has been doing very important mediation between China and India to normalize their diplomatic relations. (...) Putin has been mediating to resolve these relations within the overall framework of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation because both are major historical allies of Russia,” he stated.
The historian highlighted that Putin's visit comes at a time when the SCO—which brings together China, Russia, India, Central Asian countries, and partners in the Middle East—seeks to expand its relevance as an alternative to Western alliances. He believes the meeting in Tianjin, between August 31 and September 1, will serve to structure a new model of regional integration, especially in light of the foreign policy adopted by the United States under Donald Trump.
Regional security and stability
In the interview, Pereira also stressed that the agenda goes beyond Sino-Indian rapprochement and should include debates on security. He cited pending issues that directly affect SCO members, such as the tense relationship between India and Pakistan, the instability in Afghanistan, and even the recent conflict between Cambodia and Thailand.
"Putin and Xi will try, to some extent, to orchestrate talks to find solutions to all these problems, and they end up having a greater capacity for resolution through these countries of the Asian continent—hence the importance of the SCO—because there is no longer a US presence in the area; there is no longer a US presence in Afghanistan," he said.
Accelerated rapprochement
Pereira's analysis engages with recent moves by India and China. Following the 50% tariffs imposed by Trump on New Delhi, Narendra Modi's government has sought to reduce its dependence on the United States and strengthen ties with the BRICS. The announcement of the resumption of direct flights between India and China and the expectation of a historic meeting between Modi and Xi Jinping during the SCO summit, seven years after the Indian leader's last visit to China, are seen as clear signs of détente.
According to the professor, the role of Russia, an ally of both countries, will be decisive in sustaining this process. "Putin's visit to China consolidates this rapprochement between China and India, which is also very important for BRICS today," he concluded. Watch the professor's full speech in the video below:
