External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, during his first visit to China since 2019, held a meeting with Vice President Han Zheng in Beijing on Monday and observed signs of steady progress in bilateral ties between the two neighbours.
The meeting is part of a broader diplomatic thaw following years of strained relations post the 2020 Galwan Valley clash. Speaking after his arrival, Jaishankar reaffirmed India’s support for China’s presidency of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) and expressed hope that the discussions during his visit would help sustain a “positive trajectory” in India–China relations.
“Pleased to meet Vice President Han Zheng soon after my arrival in Beijing today. Conveyed India’s support for China’s SCO Presidency. Noted the improvement in our bilateral ties. And expressed confidence that discussions during my visit will maintain that positive trajectory,” the minister posted on X.
In his opening remarks during the meeting, Jaishankar referenced the meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping in Kazan last year, which he said had helped place the relationship on a path of gradual recovery.
“India supports a successful Chinese presidency at the SCO. Excellency, our bilateral relationship, as you have pointed, has been steadily improving since the meeting between Prime Minister Modi and President Xi Jinping in Kazan last October. I am confident that my discussions in this visit will maintain that positive trajectory,” he remarked.
Jaishankar also pointed to symbolic developments such as the resumption of the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra, calling it a move that has been “widely appreciated” within India. The pilgrimage route had remained suspended since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent tensions following the border standoff.
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“We have marked, Excellency, the 75th anniversary of the establishment of our diplomatic relations. The resumption of the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra is also widely appreciated in India. Continued normalisation of our ties can produce mutually beneficial outcomes,” he said.
Referring to the global environment, Jaishankar stressed the importance of frank discussions between both countries, especially given their size, economic weight, and geopolitical influence.
“The international situation, as we meet today, Excellency, is very complex. As neighbouring nations and major economies, an open exchange of views and perspectives between India and China is very important. I look forward to such discussions during this visit,” he added.
The visit to China comes immediately after Jaishankar’s tour of Singapore and precedes his participation in the SCO Council of Foreign Ministers’ meeting in Tianjin on Tuesday. The Ministry of External Affairs has confirmed that the minister will hold multiple bilateral meetings on the sidelines of the conference, including a likely one with Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi.
This marks the first trip to China by a senior Indian minister following visits by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and National Security Adviser Ajit Doval, who attended SCO-related engagements in June. Jaishankar and Wang last met earlier this year on the sidelines of the G20 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in Johannesburg.
China’s foreign minister is expected to travel to India next month for another round of talks under the Special Representatives (SR) mechanism, the long-standing diplomatic framework aimed at resolving the India–China boundary dispute.
Ties between the two Asian giants reached their lowest point in decades following the violent Galwan clash in June 2020, which led to the deaths of soldiers on both sides. The meeting between Modi and Xi in October last year, albeit brief, has been credited with setting the stage for a measured revival of dialogue.
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