China calls for dialogue to resolve a long-standing border dispute with a neighbour, after 2023's deadliest clashes in over a decade left over 100 dead, with a December ceasefire mostly holding despite breach accusations.
China and India reopened the Lipulekh Pass in the Himalayas for cross-border trade last week after a six-year closure. This move, following Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi's visit to New Delhi, signals a cautious warming of ties between the two nations.
Cambodia and Thailand are utilizing a UN Convention on the Law of the Sea tool for "compulsory consultation" to resolve a decades-long maritime dispute in the Gulf of Thailand. This aims to unlock potential $300 billion in oil and gas reserves, following Thailand's withdrawal from a 2001 agreement and recent land border tensions.
The US has shown a softer tone towards China, notably through Hegseth's comments, while Canada's long-awaited strategic partnership with China has been marred by past incidents like the Meng Wanzhou arrest.
Russian President Vladimir Putin stated Russia will not interfere in India-China relations, expressing confidence in PM Modi and President Xi Jinping's efforts to resolve border disputes and mutual issues, while highlighting Russia's strong ties with both nations.
India has strongly rejected Nepal's request for UK intervention in the India-Nepal border dispute, calling it a bilateral issue with established mechanisms for resolution. Nepal's PM had suggested UK mediation, citing the dispute's origins during British rule.
Nepal's PM Balendra Shah has claimed in parliament that Nepal has also encroached on Indian territory, a shift from the nation's usual stance. This statement has sparked anger among Nepali lawmakers and complicates ongoing border disputes with India over areas like Kalapani and Lipulekh.
India's MEA firmly rejected any third-party involvement in resolving the India-Nepal boundary dispute, days after Nepal's PM suggested China and the UK mediate. MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal stated that bilateral mechanisms exist and reiterated that 98% of the border is demarcated.
Nepal PM Balendra Shah's comments on Indian territory 'encroachments' have reignited the decades-old border dispute over Kalapani, Lipulekh, and Limpiyadhura. While Nepal claims the region based on historical treaties, India cites administrative control. The area is strategically vital for India, bordering China and serving as a route for religious pilgrimages.
India-Nepal border tensions escalate as Kathmandu formally objects to India's resumption of Kailash Mansarovar Yatra through Lipulekh Pass, claimed by Nepal. India dismissed Nepal's territorial claims as unjustified and not based on historical facts. Nepal cites the 1816 Sugauli Treaty to assert that Limpiyadhura, Lipulekh, and Kalapani are integral parts of its territory. Both nations remain committed to resolving the dispute through diplomatic means.
FIFA held its annual congress in Vancouver with Iran as the only absent nation from 211 members. President Gianni Infantino affirmed Iran will participate in this summer's World Cup in the US, Canada and Mexico, stating the reason is to unite people. Iranian football officials, including president Mehdi Taj, were denied entry at Canadian border control. Taj has ties to the IRGC, designated as a terrorist organization in Canada.
China would see India's defense industry cooperation with South Korea on artillery and anti-aircraft guns as inevitably sensitive given Beijing's border dispute with New Delhi in the Himalayas, analysts say. South Korea's Lee said Seoul backs India's Atmanirbhar Bharat self-reliant policy and hopes to actively support production and operation of Indian defense equipment. India operates about 100 K9 Vajra-T 155mm self-propelled howitzers, made in India based on South Korea's K9 Thunder design, and plans to acquire 100 more.
India and China held a two-day SCO national coordinators meeting led by Alok Amitabh Dimri and Yan Wenbin, representing the latest institutional step in a diplomatic reset that began in 2024 with troop disengagement from Depsang and Demchok along the Line of Actual Control. Experts say this signals compartmentalisation of India-China ties, with border disputes decoupled from multilateral cooperation, allowing India to engage in Eurasian security and trade without ceding ground to Beijing or Islamabad while maintaining military posture along the border.
