India engaging with China on Indo-Pacific Concept

India has been engaging with the Chinese side on Indo-Pacific but the Chinese side has expressed doubts even though it has appreciated Prime Minister Modi's speech on the issue at the Shangri La dialogue earlier this year.

The word from India comes even as both New Delhi and China ties in 2018 went through a reset. 

Sources have clarified to WION on Quad also, saying "Quad is a dialogue mechanism, Indo Pacific is a concept. Quad doesn't define Indo-Pacific. 

Quad is not an alliance" though certain countries "taking that impression and some are even contributing to this impression." 

Thorny issues between New Delhi and China remain such as China's belt and road initiative. India has made it clear that the Chinese infrastructure project "should respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity." 

Particularly on China Pakistan economic corridor or CPEC which New Delhi believes is a "direct challenge to India's sovereignty".  CPEC's has dual use--military as well as civilian, which is a "matter of concern."

But India might be taking a divergent view on Huawei, the Chinese telecom company under pressure especially in United States, Australia and Britain. Sources told WION that India is "weighing the situation" and it remains Huawei "legal entity" 

By an large India considers its relation with China returning to normalcy in 2018 and "political relationship has been restored and heightened." 

2017 saw Doklam crisis in Bhutan in which Indian and Chinese forces were on a standoff against each other for more than 2 months. It was considered one of the worst standoff in many decades.

Both the countries also resumed defence contact this year and "peace and tranquillity have been restored" at the border.

This year saw Indian and Chinese leadership engaging with each other. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping met 4 times this year. First at informal Wuhan summit, followed by meets on the sidelines of the SCO summit in China, BRICS in South Africa and G20 in Argentina. Next year the Chinese President Xi Jinping will be coming to India for 2nd India Chian Informal summit in India.