Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh is scheduled to visit Qingdao, China, on June 24-25, 2025, to participate in the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Defence Ministers’ meeting. This marks the first high-level Indian ministerial visit to China since the 2020 border standoff in Eastern Ladakh and the Galwan clash, signaling renewed momentum in efforts to stabilize and rebuild bilateral ties between the two countries.

The visit comes after a significant thaw in India-China relations, following the October 2024 agreement to resume coordinated patrolling and disengage troops along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh.

This agreement ended a prolonged military standoff and was the result of ongoing diplomatic engagement, including a meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the BRICS summit in Kazan, Russia, in October 2024.

During his visit, Rajnath Singh is expected to hold talks with his Chinese counterpart, Defence Minister Admiral Dong Jun. Their last meeting took place in November 2024 in Vientiane, Laos, during the 11th ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting-Plus (ADMM-Plus), which was the first interaction following the disengagement understanding.

The SCO meeting, hosted by China as the current chair, will bring together defence ministers from the bloc’s ten member countries, including India, China, Russia, Pakistan, Iran, and several Central Asian nations. The agenda will focus on regional security cooperation, counter-terrorism, and connectivity.

Beyond military and security cooperation, both sides are working on broader confidence-building measures to normalize relations. These efforts include the resumption of the Kailash Manasarovar Yatra, restoration of direct air connectivity, sharing of hydrological data, easing visa procedures, and enhancing cultural and people-to-people exchanges. India has also reiterated its support for China’s SCO presidency, as highlighted during recent talks in New Delhi between Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri and Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Sun Weidong.

Rajnath Singh’s visit underscores a mutual intent to advance the understanding reached between the Indian and Chinese leadership in October 2024, with a focus on people-centric engagements and practical steps to restore normalcy in bilateral relations.

Agencies