NEW DELHI — Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar told China’s top diplomat Wang Yi on Monday that progress in relations between the two Asian giants hinges on peace along their disputed Himalayan frontier, reported by AFP.
Wang arrived in New Delhi for a two-day visit that includes the 24th round of border talks with National Security Adviser Ajit Doval and a meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
“This discussion 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,” Jaishankar said in opening remarks. He underscored the need for both countries to pull back troops massed on their frontier since a deadly clash in 2020.
India’s foreign ministry confirmed on social media that “important engagements” on bilateral ties and border issues were scheduled during Wang’s visit. The trip comes just days before Modi heads to China for a Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit — his first visit there in seven years.
Relations have shown tentative signs of easing. In October, Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping reached a milestone accord to reduce tensions along the frontier after talks in Russia.
Still, the world’s two most populous nations remain wary rivals, competing for influence across South Asia while trying to stabilize ties shaken by bloodshed in the high-altitude Himalayas.
Wang’s agenda is expected to include discussions on restarting border trade, suspended since the clashes. The resumption, alongside agreements to restore direct flights and tourist visas, would carry both practical and symbolic weight as Beijing and New Delhi test a fragile thaw in their fraught relationship.
