Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri held talks with Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Sun Weidong during which the two sides reviewed the developments in India-China bilateral relations and agreed to continue to "stabilise and rebuild ties" with priority on people-centric engagements, the MEA said on Friday.
The meeting took place on Thursday and the two sides also agreed to expedite steps involved in resuming direct air services between the two countries.Misri had held talks with Sun earlier on January 27 in Beijing. Sun is on a visit to India from June 12-13, the Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement.During the meeting on Thursday, "the two sides reviewed the developments in India-China bilateral relations since their last meeting in Beijing on January 27, 2025 and agreed to continue to stabilise and rebuild ties with priority on people-centric engagements", the MEA said.
The foreign secretary appreciated the Chinese side's cooperation for the resumption of the Kailash Manasarovar Yatra this year.
He noted the discussion in the April meeting of the Expert Level Mechanism for cooperation in trans-border rivers for resumption of provision of hydrological data and other cooperation, and hoped for progress on them, the MEA said."The two sides agreed to expedite steps involved in resuming direct air services between the two countries. Foreign Secretary hoped for the early conclusion of an updated Air Services Agreement," it said.
India and China further agreed to take "practical steps" for visa facilitation and exchanges between media and think-tanks."The two sides positively assessed the activities planned under the 75th anniversary of establishment of diplomatic relations between India and China and agreed to facilitate the same," the statement added. This is being seen as a high-level diplomatic engagement, in which both the countries India and China reviewed the state of their bilateral relations ahead of the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between the two countries.
Both sides held wide-ranging discussions on the current trajectory of India-China relations. According to official sources, the two diplomats assessed recent developments and agreed to facilitate a series of planned events and initiatives commemorating the 75th anniversary of diplomatic engagement.The meeting was held in a constructive atmosphere, with both countries acknowledging the need for continued dialogue and cooperation despite recent tensions along the Line of Actual Control (LAC). While the focus remained on diplomatic and cultural exchanges, the broader objective was to maintain stability, build mutual trust, and prevent further escalations.
Foreign Secretary Misri and Vice Minister Sun reaffirmed the importance of maintaining open lines of communication at all levels. They emphasized the significance of confidence-building measures and diplomatic channels in managing ongoing differences and strengthening people-to-people contacts.This is Sun Weidong’s first visit to India in his new capacity as Vice Foreign Minister, though he previously served as China’s Ambassador to India — making him well-versed in bilateral dynamics.
The 75th anniversary of diplomatic ties is expected to be marked by a range of events including cultural programs, academic collaborations, and high-level exchanges aimed at reinforcing cooperation.This renewed diplomatic engagement comes at a time when both countries are looking to find common ground and restore a working relationship amid complex regional and global challenges.
This assumes significance as India on Friday sends off the first batch of 50 pilgrims for the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra, which has resumed after a gap of six years, New Delhi and Beijing are now looking to restart direct air services, taking steps towards visa facilitation and also sharing data on transnational rivers.
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