Jaishankar to Wang Yi: LAC Troop De-escalation Must Move Forward

External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar on Monday reiterated that normalcy in India-China ties hinges on peace along the Line of Actual Control (LAC), telling Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi that the “process of de-escalating” troops must “move forward.”

Jaishankar, who met Wang in New Delhi during the latter’s two-day visit, said bilateral relations can gain “positive momentum” only if the situation at the border stabilises. “This occasion provides us with an opportunity to meet and review our bilateral ties. It is also an appropriate time to exchange views on the global situation and some issues of mutual interest,” he told Wang.

Relations between New Delhi and Beijing have remained strained since the 2020 Galwan Valley clashes, which left 20 Indian soldiers dead. Although both sides disengaged from two friction points in October 2024, the broader process of de-escalation and eventual de-induction remains incomplete, with nearly 50,000–60,000 troops still deployed in eastern Ladakh.

It is the second time in two months that Jaishankar has pressed Wang on the matter. At their July meeting in Beijing, Jaishankar had emphasised that “it is incumbent upon us to address other aspects related to the border, including de-escalation.” On Monday, he underlined that “India and China have been through a difficult period in our relationship. Our two nations now seek to move ahead. This requires a candid and constructive approach on both sides.”

Alongside border security, the two ministers also discussed trade, connectivity, river-data sharing, people-to-people exchanges, and economic cooperation. Jaishankar stressed that future engagement must be guided by “three mutuals” — mutual respect, mutual sensitivity, and mutual interest.

Wang’s visit comes ahead of the 24th round of Special Representative (SR) level talks on Tuesday, where he will meet National Security Advisor Ajit Doval to push forward negotiations on LAC tensions. Later in the day, he is scheduled to call on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, a meeting seen as setting the tone for the Indian leader’s upcoming trip to China for the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Tianjin, his first in seven years.

It marks the first visit by a Chinese foreign minister since the Galwan clashes. It also follows Modi’s October 2024 meeting with President Xi Jinping in Kazan, Russia, which signalled tentative attempts at resetting ties.

While technical-level communications have continued over the past year, Wang’s arrival is viewed as a sign of Beijing’s willingness to re-engage politically. India has also signalled readiness for incremental normalisation  – resuming tourist visas for Chinese nationals, reopening pilgrimage routes to Kailash Mansarovar, and discussing the restoration of commercial flights suspended since 2020.

Yet, the key test remains whether the two sides can advance from disengagement to full de-escalation. For now, trust-building along the LAC continues to dictate the trajectory of the wider relationship.

Huma Siddiqui