Which of the following statements about India-China relations is/are correct ? 1. ‘Look East’ policy is a vital part of the relationship 2. There is an active defence exchange programme 3. Institutional mechanism to share international waters is in place Select the correct answer using the code given below :

India's 'Look East' policy, launched in the early 1990s, is a vital component of its foreign policy aimed at comprehensive engagement with East Asian nations, including China. This policy has evolved to include strong economic associations and strategic partnerships. Regarding defence, India and China maintain an active defence exchange programme, which includes high-level visits, structured dialogues, and joint military exercises like 'Hand-in-Hand' to build strategic trust [1]. However, statement 3 is incorrect because there is no comprehensive institutional mechanism to share international waters between India and China. While there are Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) for sharing hydrological data on transboundary rivers like the Brahmaputra and Sutlej, these do not constitute a formal water-sharing treaty or institutional mechanism similar to the Indus Waters Treaty. Therefore, only statements 1 and 2 are correct.

Sources

1. [1] Geography of India ,Majid Husain, (McGrawHill 9th ed.) > Chapter 16: India–Political Aspects > INDIA'S ROLE IN WORLD AFFAIRS > p. 59