India-China thaw ahead of BRICS summit

10 Sept 2026

India and China are trying to steady ties after years of distrust, with border management and security concerns still shaping the relationship. The central challenge is whether a fragile thaw can move beyond military de-escalation into broader political and economic normalization. Both sides have reasons to avoid another crisis, but controls on investment, visas, technology and strategic sectors show that caution remains high. The approach matters because any improvement could support regional stability and business links, while failure would keep the boundary dispute and wider mistrust firmly in place.