Two countries seek to patch up frayed ties after tough year.

Congress party’s qualified endorsement of PM Modi’s idea of India as a leading power augurs well for a sensible debate on diplomacy.

'While economic ties are making incremental progress, it is in the security and strategic domains that the India-Japan synergy is more compelling,' says Dr Rajaram Panda.

In the same vein, Beijing, importantly, reiterates Doklam is part of its territory.

Of the 10-member ASEAN bloc, Vietnam has emerged as the main pivot in the organisation’s foreign diplomacy. Fit now to be compared as a middle power, Vietnam’s emergence as a fast growing economy and its diplomatic outreach in tune with the prevailing geopolitical setting is relevant to prevailing geopolitical settings. After burying the bitter past, its relations with the United States has become robust. Its relations with India with civilizational links have already reached escalating heights.

New Delhi needs partnerships to make up for lost opportunities.

Though both sides continue to try to stabilize relations, complications are expected to continue.