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As India and China continue efforts to normalise strained ties, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar met with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Tianjin on Monday, ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s expected visit to China in September for the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit.
The two foreign ministers held talks on the sidelines of the SCO Foreign Ministers’ Meeting, focusing on resolving remaining border issues, enhancing strategic communication, and paving the way for improved bilateral engagement.
Border Talks and Bilateral Momentum
Jaishankar noted that since the meeting between PM Modi and President Xi Jinping in Kazan in October 2024, relations have shown “gradual progress,” particularly due to the resolution of some friction points along the Line of Actual Control (LAC).
“It is now incumbent on us to address other aspects related to the border, including de-escalation,” Jaishankar said, adding that maintaining peace along the LAC is the “fundamental basis for mutual strategic trust.”
The discussions also covered trade restrictions, cross-border cooperation, and efforts to increase people-to-people exchanges, especially after the recent resumption of the Kailash Manasarovar Yatra following a five-year suspension.
Wang Yi Expected to Visit India in July
Diplomatic sources suggest that Wang Yi is likely to visit India later this month for a fresh round of talks under the Special Representatives (SR) mechanism on the boundary issue. Both Wang and India’s National Security Advisor Ajit Doval serve as SRs in the long-standing boundary dialogue, which has seen 23 rounds of talks to date.
India’s Return to Active Engagement with China
As reported previously, this is Jaishankar’s first visit to China since 2020, when military clashes in eastern Ladakh triggered a deep freeze in high-level contacts. In recent months, the two countries have attempted to stabilise relations through ministerial exchanges and mutual disengagement agreements at Demchok and Depsang.
In June, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh visited China for the SCO Defence Ministers’ meeting in Qingdao, where he also held bilateral talks with his Chinese counterpart. Singh called for a roadmap to rebuild trust and highlighted the need to “act on the ground” to address the trust deficit stemming from the 2020 standoff.
Focus on SCO and Regional Security
The SCO Foreign Ministers’ Meeting, being hosted under China’s presidency in Tianjin, will focus on regional cooperation, counterterrorism, and security issues. India reiterated the need for “zero tolerance” towards terrorism and called for strengthening multilateral efforts within the SCO framework.
The SCO summit in September, which Modi is expected to attend, is seen as a key opportunity to further diplomatic engagement between India and China amid ongoing regional and global realignments.
Huma Siddiqui
