'Unfair and imbalanced': Jaishankar on India's trade ties with China

NEW DELHI: External affairs minister S Jaishankar, who is on the Switzerland visit, said on Thursday that India's economic relationship with China has been very "unfair" and "imbalanced".
Speaking at an event in Geneva, Jaishankar claimed that 75 per cent of the "disengagement" problems at India's long and mountainous border with China had been sorted out, reported news agency Reuters.
Earlier, Jaishankar had stated that that India is not "closed to business from China" but has to determine which sector it will engage with Beijing.
Relations between the two nuclear-armed Asian giants have been at odds ever since the deadly Galwan clash in 2020.
India subsequently tightened its scrutiny of investments from Chinese companies and halted major projects.
Government officials including finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman, however, have recently supported suggestions to allow more Chinese investment in the country.
According to a latest annual economic survey released in July, India can either integrate into China's supply chain or promote foreign direct investment (FDI) from China to boost its global exports.
India has also virtually blocked visas for all Chinese nationals since 2020, along with investments scrutiny, but is considering easing them for Chinese technicians, as it had obstructed investments worth billion dollars.
Jaishankar is in Geneva for an official visit from September 12 to 13, 2024. Notably, Geneva is home to a large number of UN bodies and international organisations.
During the visit, Jaishankar will meet with heads and representatives of international organisations with whom India is actively engaged, the MEA release said.
Jaishankar will meet the Swiss counterpart to review the close partnership between the two countries and explore avenues to enhance the bilateral relationship further.