India’s longstanding policy on Taiwan came under renewed scrutiny this week, as diplomatic and military tensions simmered in the region. On Tuesday, August 19, 2025, India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) reaffirmed its clear and consistent stance toward Taiwan, emphasizing that its relationship with the island focuses exclusively on economic, technological, and cultural ties, with no change in position. This statement came less than 24 hours after Beijing claimed that the Taiwan issue was raised during a high-level meeting in New Delhi between Indian External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, according to IANS.
The timing of India’s reiteration is no coincidence. Just a day prior, National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval hosted the 24th round of the Special Representatives (SR) dialogue on the sensitive boundary question with Wang Yi at Hyderabad House, New Delhi. In his opening remarks, Doval struck an optimistic note, stating, “There has been an upward trend. Borders have been quiet. There has been peace and tranquillity. Our bilateral engagements have been more substantial. And we are most grateful to our leaders who, in Kazan last October, were able to set a new trend, and we have profited a lot since then.” He credited the “new environment” created by the 2024 Kazan talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping for the improved atmosphere, expressing hope that the 24th SR-level dialogue would be “equally successful” and carry “special importance” ahead of Modi’s planned visit to China for the upcoming SCO Summit later this month.
Yet, even as India and China exchanged diplomatic pleasantries, events across the Taiwan Strait painted a far more turbulent picture. Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defence (MND) reported on Tuesday that it had detected 10 Chinese military aircraft and six naval vessels operating near its territory earlier that morning. According to the MND, two of the aircraft crossed the median line of the Taiwan Strait and entered Taiwan’s northern Air Defence Identification Zone (ADIZ)—a move widely viewed as a breach of established norms and a direct challenge to Taiwan’s sovereignty.
“10 sorties of PLA aircraft and 6 PLAN vessels operating around Taiwan were detected up until 6 am (UTC+8) today. 2 out of 10 sorties crossed the median line and entered Taiwan’s northern ADIZ. We have monitored the situation and responded accordingly,” the MND posted on X, as reported by Taiwan News. In response, Taiwan scrambled its own aircraft, deployed naval vessels, and activated coastal-based missile systems to monitor and counter the incursions.
This latest episode follows a familiar pattern. On August 18, Taiwan reported six Chinese military aircraft and five naval vessels operating nearby, with three aircraft crossing into its northern ADIZ. The day before, six aircraft and five vessels were spotted, with two aircraft entering both the northern and southwestern ADIZ. Despite China’s repeated attempts to assert its ‘One China’ principle—claiming Taiwan as part of its territory and insisting on reunification, by force if necessary—Taiwan continues to assert its sovereignty, backed by strong public support and a robust military response.
Amid these rising tensions, Taiwan’s defense ties with the United States have grown stronger. More than 500 Taiwanese troops participated in the latest Northern Strike military exercise, held at Lake Michigan and organized by the Michigan National Guard. According to Stars and Stripes, the drill, which concluded on August 17, involved 7,500 military personnel from 36 nations and territories and, for the first time, simulated a war scenario in the Indo-Pacific region—a clear shift from its traditional European focus. Taiwan has been a US partner in these drills since 2021, training in strategic and tactical battle operations. Analyst Mei Fu-shing from Taipei’s Institute for National Security and Research noted that “collaborations between Taiwanese and US forces have steadily increased,” and that the US even deployed live loitering munitions for Taiwanese generals to observe during last year’s exercise.
Despite these growing ties, the US remains officially noncommittal about Taiwan’s participation in such exercises; a Pentagon official told Stars and Stripes that the Department of Defense does not discuss Taiwan’s involvement as a matter of long-standing policy. The US, Taiwan’s most important international backer and arms supplier, is bound by law to provide the island with the means to defend itself, but has no formal defense treaty with Taipei. Washington’s policy of “strategic ambiguity” leaves open the question of whether it would intervene militarily in the event of a Chinese attack.
Former US President Donald Trump stirred the pot further with his recent comments. In an interview with Fox News on August 15, Trump claimed that Chinese President Xi Jinping had told him China would not invade Taiwan while Trump remained in office. “I will tell you, you know, you have a very similar thing with President Xi of China and Taiwan, but I don’t believe there’s any way it’s going to happen as long as I’m here. We’ll see,” Trump said. Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs responded with pragmatism, stating, “Taiwan’s security must be achieved through its own efforts, so our country has been dedicating itself to raising its self-defense capabilities and resilience. Our country will keep working hard to do this.”
Meanwhile, China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs reiterated its hardline stance on August 18, declaring that Taiwan remains an internal matter for the Chinese people to resolve. This uncompromising position comes as Taiwan faces increased military and political pressure from Beijing, which has never renounced the use of force to bring the island under its control.
In a move to bolster its own military readiness, Taiwan’s army announced plans to reclassify drones as “consumables/munitions” rather than aircraft, following the US example. This change, confirmed by the Army Command Headquarters and reported by the Taipei Times, aims to speed up the procurement process, making it easier to replace drones lost in combat and better meet the army’s practical needs.
On the domestic front, Taiwan’s government has also been busy addressing the aftermath of natural disasters. The Legislative Yuan on August 19 approved an aid and recovery package authorizing up to NT$60 billion (US$1.99 billion) for regions devastated by Typhoon Danas and subsequent torrential rains last month. The funds will be used to repair and rebuild infrastructure, electricity systems, telecommunications, cultural heritage sites, and other public facilities.
Politics in Taiwan remain lively as ever. President William Lai, who also serves as chairman of the Democratic Progressive Party, urged the public to reject a nuclear energy referendum scheduled for August 23, arguing that holding such a plebiscite before safety evaluations are complete “is a denial of the public’s right to make informed decisions.” Lai stated, “I will go to the ballot box on Saturday next week to cast a ‘no’ vote, as we all should do.”
As regional powers maneuver diplomatically and militarily, the question of Taiwan’s future remains unresolved, with each side holding firm to its narrative. For now, the world watches as India treads carefully, China flexes its muscles, the US hedges its bets, and Taiwan strives to chart its own course—undaunted but ever vigilant.
