External Affairs Minister (EAM) S. Jaishankar embarked on a significant diplomatic visit to China, marking his first official trip to Beijing since the India-China relations were severely strained after the deadly Galwan Valley clash in 2020.

The visit was centred around the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Foreign Ministers Meeting and included high-level engagements with Chinese leadership, reflecting renewed momentum in bilateral interaction.

Jaishankar, accompanied by fellow SCO Foreign Ministers, met with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing. During the meeting, he conveyed greetings from Indian President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Jaishankar apprised President Xi of recent developments in India-China bilateral ties and acknowledged the value of top-level leadership guidance for navigating the relationship. His update to President Xi symbolised both the importance India places on its ties with China and the hope for ongoing, positive engagement at the highest levels of government.

Prior to his meeting with President Xi, Jaishankar held comprehensive discussions with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi. In these talks, he advocated for a “far-seeing approach” to managing bilateral ties and emphasized the priority of building a stable and constructive relationship between the two countries. Jaishankar underlined several key areas requiring attention:

Addressing and managing border-related challenges to avoid further tensions.

Normalising people-to-people exchanges which have been impacted in recent years.

Avoiding restrictive trade measures and removing roadblocks to bilateral economic cooperation.

He expressed confidence that, by adhering to mutual respect, mutual interest, and mutual sensitivity, bilateral relations could progress along a positive trajectory.

Jaishankar also met the Chinese Vice President Han Zheng soon after arriving in Beijing. He conveyed India’s support for China’s SCO Presidency and highlighted improvements seen in bilateral interaction. Expressing optimism, Jaishankar noted that discussions during this visit would continue to foster a constructive atmosphere and help maintain the emerging positive trend in relations.

Jaishankar’s visit followed recent trips to China by Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and National Security Advisor Ajit Doval in June for SCO-related meetings. These high-level exchanges are part of a broader effort to stabilize relations following the serious 2020 Galwan Valley border standoff—the most severe clash between India and China in over four decades. This event, which led to casualties on both sides, pushed relations to historic lows and caused the suspension of many diplomatic and people-to-people activities.

In a notable development, the resumption of the Special Representatives (SR) dialogue mechanism, intended to address the long-standing border dispute, was agreed upon following a brief encounter between Prime Minister Modi and President Xi Jinping at a summit in Kazan, Russia, the previous October. Additionally, the resumption of the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra—a major religious and people-to-people initiative—after nearly five years signals tentative steps towards restoration of confidence and cooperation.

India’s active participation in the SCO underlines its commitment to regional cooperation, while Jaishankar’s engagements in Beijing demonstrate both countries’ recognition of the importance of sustained dialogue.

The revival of key dialogue channels, constructive discussions around border and trade issues, and resumed cultural exchanges collectively indicate emerging glimmers of improvement. However, the trajectory of bilateral ties will depend on continued high-level engagement, mutual respect, and tangible progress on pressing bilateral concerns.

Based On ANI Report