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.”
