External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar is scheduled to arrive in Beijing, marking his first visit since the Galwan Valley clashes. The visit, set for Sunday evening, occurs as India and China aim to ease tensions and normalize their relationship.
During his visit, Jaishankar will hold a bilateral meeting with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi. Their previous meeting took place in February during the G20 summit in Johannesburg.
In addition to the bilateral meeting, Jaishankar will participate in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Foreign Ministers’ meeting in Tianjin on July 15. The Ministry of External Affairs confirmed the visit, stating that Jaishankar will also engage in several bilateral discussions during the summit.
The visit comes at a time when India-China relations are strained. Prior to this, Defense Minister Rajnath Singh and National Security Advisor Ajit Doval attended the SCO meeting. A visit to India by Wang Yi is proposed next month, potentially including talks with Ajit Doval regarding the border dispute.
Despite ongoing diplomatic discussions, India is concerned about China’s recent trade practices. China has restricted supplies of essential items, such as rare earth magnets and fertilizers, as well as equipment for the bullet train project. Furthermore, India remains concerned about China’s support for Pakistan, particularly during the May clashes.
India chose not to sign the SCO declaration in June due to the omission of its concerns about terrorism, specifically the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu & Kashmir, while including references to incidents in Pakistan.
The SCO, a Eurasian organization comprising 10 nations, includes India, China, Russia, Pakistan, and Iran. The 25th SCO summit is planned for later this year in Tianjin. India chaired the SCO in 2023, and Pakistan hosted the summit in 2024.
The 2020 Galwan clash, the deadliest on the India-China border in four decades, significantly deteriorated relations. However, following a meeting between Prime Minister Modi and President Xi Jinping in Kazan, Russia, last October, both countries agreed to resume talks between special representatives.
A positive development is the resumption of the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra after nearly five years. The participation of Prime Minister Modi in the upcoming SCO summit remains uncertain.
