New Delhi remains steadfast in its opposition to Belt-and-Road initiative launched by Chinese President Xi Jinping and its key component China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC)

Notwithstanding its opposition to China's Belt-and-Road initiative, New Delhi may enter into a dialogue with Beijing soon to explore bilateral cooperation for development projects in and linking other countries.

New Delhi remains steadfast in its opposition to Belt-and-Road initiative launched by Chinese President Xi Jinping and its key component China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).

The first few months of 2018 may see Indian and Chinese diplomats working on a new template for dialogue on cooperation for projects in other countries in the region, sources aware of the recent engagements between the two nations told DH in New Delhi

New Delhi, however, has made it clear that even if its dialogue with Beijing finally leads to any joint project in any third country, it would be carried out within the framework of India-China bilateral cooperation, but not as a component of the Belt-and-Road Initiative.

Beijing's persistent policy of shielding anti-India terrorists based in Pakistan from United Nations' sanctions, India's opposition to Belt-and-Road initiative of China and the 72-day-long face-off between Indian Army and Chinese People's Liberation Army in Doklam Plateau in western Bhutan brought the bilateral relations to a new low in 2017.

New Delhi and Beijing, however, tried to bring the ties back on track with several back-to-back engagements towards the end of the year.

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj had a bilateral meeting with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi when he came to New Delhi to attend a Russia-India-China trilateral dialogue on December 11.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi's National Security Advisor Ajit Doval hosted Chinese state councillor Yang Jiechi for the 20th round of boundary negotiation in New Delhi on December 22. Doval and Yang are Special Representative of India and China for boundary negotiations and strategic consultations.

A press-release issued by Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Chinese Government after Swaraj-Wang meeting quoted the external affairs minister telling her counterpart that since India and China were two major developing countries, the significance of relations between them transcended bilateral scope. "Bilateral relations (between India and China) have important influence on the region and the world at large," it noted.

It was reiterated in the press-release issued by Ministry of External Affairs after Doval-Yang meeting in New Delhi. It said that both sides had agreed that the relations between India and China transcended their bilateral dimensions and had "significance for peace, stability and development of Asia and the world".

India has since long been opposing China's Belt and Road Initiative, arguing that the connectivity initiatives must be "based on universally recognised international norms, good governance, rule of law, openness, transparency and equality". New Delhi is particularly opposed to the CPEC, which will link Kashgar in Xinjiang in north-western China and a deep sea port at Gwadar in Baluchistan in south-western Pakistan.

New Delhi has been opposed to the CPEC corridor as it is proposed to pass through parts of Kashmir India claims as its own and accuses Pakistan of illegal occupation.