#BinanceHODLerLA After years of border tensions, India and China appear to be gradually moving towards resetting ties - but larger challenges and suspicions remain.

The visit of two senior Indian officials to China late last month was seen as a sign of a thaw in bilateral relations.

In June, Indian National Security Adviser Ajit Doval and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh also made separate visits as part of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) meetings.

The SCO is a 10-member Eurasian security grouping that also includes China, Russia, Iran and Pakistan. Singh's visit was the first by a senior Indian official to China in five years.

At the heart of India-China tensions is an ill-defined, 3,440km (2,100-mile)-long disputed border. Rivers, lakes and snow-caps along the frontier mean the line often shifts, bringing soldiers face to face at many points, sometimes sparking skirmishes.

The crisis escalated in June 2020 when the two forces clashed in the Galwan valley in Ladakh in what was the first fatal confrontation between them since 1975. At least 20 Indian and four Chinese soldiers died. Stand-offs between the militaries have since taken place in several places.

But geopolitical uncertainty and ground realities appear to have nudged the two sides to find common ground on several issues.

Late last year, they reached an agreement on the main friction points in Ladakh.

In January, Delhi and Beijing agreed to restore direct flights and relax visa curbs that were imposed after the 2020 clash.

The same month, Indian pilgrims were allowed to visit a sacred mountain, the Kailash, and a holy lake in the Tibet Autonomous Region after a gap of six years.

But experts point out there are other hurdles.

For India, China is the second-largest trading partner with bilateral trade reaching more than $127bn (£93.4bn) last year. It relies heavily on Chinese imports, particularly rare earth minerals.

Peace in border areas, therefore, is essential to boost economic ties.