External affairs minister S Jaishankar met Chinese vice president Han Zheng in Beijing on Monday and emphasised that the continued normalisation of India-China relations could bring mutually beneficial outcomes.
“Continued normalisation of our ties can produce mutually beneficial outcomes,” Jaishankar said.
This meeting came shortly after Jaishankar’s arrival in Beijing to attend the foreign ministers’ meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO). It marks his first visit to China since tensions escalated following border clashes in April-May 2020.
In his opening remarks, Jaishankar noted that bilateral ties have been “steadily improving” since Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping met in Kazan, Russia, in October last year.
“My discussions during this visit will maintain the positive trajectory in the relationship,” he added.
India and China reached a significant understanding in October 2024 to end the four-year military standoff in the Ladakh sector of the Line of Actual Control (LAC). This understanding was followed by the Modi-Xi meeting in Kazan, where both leaders agreed to revive dormant mechanisms and accelerate steps toward normalisation and resolution of the border issue.
Since then, India and China have held multiple high-level meetings, including those between their foreign ministers, defence ministers, and National Security Advisors.
Jaishankar also highlighted the importance of resuming the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra, which had been suspended for five years.
“The resumption of the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra is also widely appreciated in India,” he said.
The minister also acknowledged the complexity of the current global scenario and stressed the importance of open communication between India and China, both major regional players.
“The international situation is very complex. An open exchange of views and perspectives between India and China is very important.”
He also conveyed India’s support for China’s presidency of the SCO.
After his bilateral meetings in Beijing, Jaishankar will head to Tianjin to participate in the SCO foreign ministers’ meeting. Before arriving in China, he visited Singapore, where he held discussions with the country’s top leadership.
India-China relations reached their lowest point in six decades following the deadly Galwan Valley clash in June 2020, which claimed the lives of 20 Indian soldiers and at least four Chinese troops. The two countries are now working to rebuild ties.
However, tensions remain. Ahead of Jaishankar’s visit, the Chinese embassy in New Delhi referred to Tibet-related issues—including the Dalai Lama’s reincarnation—as a “thorn” in bilateral relations, following the Dalai Lama’s assertion that only a trust established by him can recognise his reincarnation.