New Delhi: External Affairs Minister (EAM) Dr. S. Jaishankar will embark on a three-day official visit to China beginning July 13, marking a pivotal moment in India-China relations since the Galwan Valley clash in 2020, sources in the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) confirmed on Friday.
Jaishankar will begin his visit in Beijing and subsequently head to Tianjin to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Foreign Ministers’ Meeting, with China serving as the current Chair of the regional bloc. The visit is seen as a step forward in rekindling diplomatic engagement between the two Asian giants.
First Bilateral Visit Since Galwan Clash
This will be EAM Jaishankar’s first official visit to China since the deadly confrontation between Indian and Chinese troops in the Galwan Valley along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in June 2020, which severely strained bilateral ties. Though Jaishankar has interacted with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi on the sidelines of multilateral events, this visit marks a significant diplomatic milestone.
The resumption of high-level exchanges gained traction after Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Chinese President Xi Jinping at the BRICS Summit in Kazan in October 2023. Modi emphasized the need for India-China relations to be built on mutual respect, mutual trust, and mutual sensitivity for a sustainable and positive trajectory.
High-Level Diplomatic Engagements Continue
In recent months, key Indian officials including National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, and Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri have visited Beijing for discussions aimed at stabilizing bilateral ties.
During his visit last month to the SCO Security Council Secretaries’ Meeting, NSA Doval raised India’s concerns regarding the continued threat posed by UN-designated terrorist groups such as Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), ISIS, and Al-Qaeda. He called for a unified global stance against terrorism and condemned the double standards adopted by some nations.
NSA Doval also met Wang Yi, with both sides reviewing recent developments in bilateral relations and discussing ways to strengthen people-to-people ties and counter terrorism. The MEA emphasized that both parties agreed on maintaining peace and stability in the region through consistent engagement.
Rajnath Singh Stresses Peace Along Border
Meanwhile, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh also met his Chinese counterpart Admiral Dong Jun during the SCO Defence Ministers’ Meeting in Qingdao. Singh emphasized the importance of maintaining peace and tranquility along the Indo-China border and stressed the need for a structured roadmap for de-escalation and permanent engagement.
“Raksha Mantri acknowledged the efforts being made by both sides to restore normalcy in bilateral relations and reiterated India’s commitment to a peaceful resolution of border tensions,” the Ministry of Defence said in a statement.
Key Focus Areas of Jaishankar’s Visit
Jaishankar’s upcoming visit is expected to focus on:
-
De-escalation along the LAC and restoring confidence in border management
-
Strengthening multilateral cooperation under the SCO framework
-
Enhancing regional security and counter-terrorism collaboration
-
Promoting economic ties and people-to-people exchanges
-
Discussing global issues of mutual interest including climate change and global South solidarity
The visit is being closely watched as it comes amid a fragile thaw in India-China relations. The outcome may determine the direction of bilateral engagements in the near future.
