Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in an open interview on the Lex Fridman Podcast, spoke on India-China relations, international conflicts, and peace.
He highlighted the historical and cultural connection between the two countries and underscored the need for dialogue rather than discord.
India-China Relations and Historical Ties
PM Modi emphasized how deep and strong the ties have always been between India and China and said that their civilizations have learned from and aided each other. “At one time, India and China together contributed over 50% of the world’s GDP. That’s how big India’s contribution was,” he said.
He admitted that there are border tensions but stated that both nations are trying to get normalcy back. “Differences are natural. Even in a family, everything is not perfect all the time. But our effort is that these differences should not turn into disputes,” Modi clarified.
Border Disputes and Efforts Toward Stability
Speaking to the border tensions that mounted in 2020, Modi promised his recent summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping laid the groundwork for better relations. “Following my recent meeting with President Xi, normalcy has returned to the border. We are now focusing on bringing conditions back to the way they were before 2020,” he said. He emphasized that competition between India and China must be “healthy and natural” and not degenerate into conflict.
Global Conflicts and the Imperative of Cooperation
When questioned regarding rising geopolitical tensions across the globe, Modi lamented growing fragmentation rather than unity after COVID. “At that point, it seemed like the world would learn from it, that we would become a more united world. But unfortunately, rather than moving towards peace, the world became even more fragmented,” he said.
He condemned the inefficiency of global institutions such as the United Nations in solving international conflicts. “Institutions, such as the UN, are not doing their job. Individuals, who do not follow international rules and laws, still move about freely, and no one can hold them back,” he said. Modi promoted a “development-oriented approach” as opposed to expansionism, emphasizing that cooperation is the only way.