New Delhi: After a “difficult period”, India and China now “seek” to move forward in their ties, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar told his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi Monday, as the political thaw between New Delhi and Beijing continues ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s likely visit to Tianjin later this month.
“Having seen a difficult period in our relationship, Excellency, our two nations now seek to move ahead. This requires a candid and constructive approach from both sides,” said Jaishankar. “Differences must not become disputes, nor competition conflict.”
Wang Yi is in India for a three-day visit, for the twenty-fourth round of Special Representative (SR) mechanism talks. The SR level talks are scheduled to be held Tuesday between Indian National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval and Wang Yi.
Jaishankar added, “You [Wang] will of course be discussing border issues with our Special Representative, National Security Adviser Ajit Doval, tomorrow. This is very important because the basis for any positive momentum in our ties is the ability to jointly maintain peace and tranquility in the border areas. It is also essential that the de-escalation process move forward.”
This is the second meeting between Jaishankar and Wang Yi in as many months. The first was when Jaishankar travelled to China last month for the foreign ministers’ meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO).
The thaw between New Delhi and Beijing comes amidst a rough patch in ties between India and the US. American President Donald Trump has imposed 50 percent tariffs on Indian goods exported to the US, which is one of the highest against any trading partner of the North American nation.
Opening remarks at my meeting with FM Wang Yi in New Delhi.
https://t.co/ZbLrgSW9tK
— Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) August 18, 2025
Apart from meeting Doval, Wang Yi is also expected to call on Prime Minister Modi Tuesday evening, indicating the growing momentum in New Delhi-Beijing ties.
Diplomatic ties between the two countries cratered in the summer months of 2020 following the military clashes at Galwan in Eastern Ladakh. The situation at the Line of Actual Control (LAC) ensured minimal political engagement between the leadership of the two countries at the highest levels.
However, on 21 October 2024, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri announced that the two countries had reached an agreement for disengagement at the friction points across the LAC. The agreement paved the way for a meeting between Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping at the margins of the BRICS Summit in the Russian city of Kazan a few days later, on 23 October 2024.
“Overall, it is our expectation that our discussions would contribute to building a stable, cooperative and forward-looking relationship between India and China, one that serves both our interests and addresses our concerns,” Jaishankar said Monday.
Amongst the topics on the agenda in the Jaishankar-Wang Yi meeting are economic and trade issues, pilgrimages, people-to-people ties, river data sharing, border trade, connectivity and bilateral exchanges.
In recent months, India and China have been engaged at various levels to introduce confidence building measures to aid ties. Beijing allowed the resumption of the Kailash-Mansarovar yatra earlier this summer, while New Delhi started issuing tourist visas for Chinese nations in July.
Talks are on for the resumption of direct passenger air travel between the two countries, which is expected to be announced soon. Direct passenger air travel has remained paused since the COVID-19 pandemic.
New Delhi and Beijing have also been engaged in resuming trade across the border trading posts at Shipki La (Himachal Pradesh), Lipulekh (Uttarakhand) and Nathu La (Sikkim) passes. Trade through these border crossings have remained paused since the pandemic and the Galwan border clashes.
After his visit to India, Wang Yi is set to travel to Pakistan to hold talks with leaders in Islamabad. PM Modi and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif are both expected to attend the Heads of State Summit of the SCO in Tianjin, which is set to be held on 31 August and 1 September.
(Edited by Ajeet Tiwari)
Also Read: Chinese FM Wang Yi in India, here’s what’s on top of agenda for talks between New Delhi & Beijing