The envoy recalled the informal summit between Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping in Wuhan late last month where both leaders freely and openly discussed the international as well as bilateral issues. “An important principle in India-China relations is the necessity of being sensitive to the other country’s aspirations and interests. In the absence of such sensitivity, we may talk to each other but little progress will be made if we do not empathize with the other side’s point of view,” Bambawale said. Sino-Indian ties hit rock bottom last year when their armies faced off for over two months at Doklam in the Sikkim section. Both sides have tried to mend their ties after the resolution of the crisis. “We can only resolve these differences, over time, if we speak to each other about them in an open manner. I do hope that in the course of your conversations today, you will touch upon both the areas of convergence as well as those of divergence between our countries,” the envoy said. Experts and scholars from the think tanks from both countries were present at the dialogue.