The Congress party has intensified its call for a parliamentary discussion on India’s relationship with China, questioning why Prime Minister Narendra Modi has avoided addressing the issue in Parliament. Recalling the 1962 Chinese invasion when Parliament openly debated the border crisis, Congress leaders argue that a similar discussion is overdue, especially as tensions with China persist.

Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh highlighted recent developments straining India-China ties, despite claims of improvement following Modi’s meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Kazan last October. Ramesh pointed to China’s support for Pakistan during Operation Sindoor, where it provided real-time intelligence and advanced weaponry like the J-10C fighter and PL-15E missiles. He also noted Pakistan’s potential acquisition of Chinese J-35 stealth fighters, signaling deeper military cooperation.

Ramesh raised concerns over China’s economic restrictions, including limits on exports of critical materials like rare-earth magnets and tunnel-boring machines, which impact India’s infrastructure and manufacturing sectors. India’s trade deficit with China has soared to a record USD 99.2 billion, with key industries like telecom and pharmaceuticals heavily reliant on Chinese imports. Additionally, the departure of Chinese workers from India’s Foxconn facilities could hinder India’s push to become a global smartphone manufacturing hub.

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“Why can’t we discuss China in Parliament now, when we did so during the 1962 invasion?” Ramesh asked, emphasizing the need for transparency. He urged Modi to end the “five-year drought” on China discussions in the upcoming Monsoon session, stressing the importance of building a national consensus on China’s rise as a manufacturing powerhouse and the world’s second-largest economy.

External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, in recent talks with Chinese Vice President Han Zheng, acknowledged progress in normalizing ties but stressed the need to address border issues, including de-escalation along the Line of Actual Control in Eastern Ladakh. Congress, however, insists that these developments warrant a broader parliamentary debate to address both security and economic challenges posed by China’s growing influence.

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