External Affairs Minister (EAM) Dr. S. Jaishankar on Monday met with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on the sidelines of the G20 Summit. The two leaders acknowledged the progress made in disengaging military forces along the India-China border, which has helped maintain peace and stability in the region.
During the meeting, both sides discussed several key initiatives to enhance bilateral relations. These included the resumption of the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra pilgrimage, data sharing on trans-border rivers, restarting direct flights between India and China, and facilitating media exchanges.
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) issued a statement highlighting the positive outcome of the meeting. It confirmed that the two ministers agreed on the importance of the recent disengagement along the border and noted that the next steps would involve further discussions through the Special Representatives and the Foreign Secretary-Vice Minister mechanism.
EAM Jaishankar also emphasized that India and China, despite their differences, have common interests and shared cooperation in multilateral forums such as BRICS, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), and the G20. He reiterated India’s commitment to a multipolar world order, stressing that India’s foreign policy is based on principles of independent thought and action, and that the country does not view its relations through the lens of other nations.
Foreign Minister Wang Yi agreed with Jaishankar on the strategic importance of India-China relations for global stability. He noted that both countries had made significant progress following their discussions in Kazan, Russia, earlier this year, and stressed the need to stabilize ties, manage differences, and take the next steps toward improving relations.
The meeting between Jaishankar and Wang Yi follows a series of high-level interactions, including a meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping in September 2024 on the sidelines of the BRICS Summit in Kazan. During that meeting, PM Modi emphasized the importance of India-China relations for both nations and for regional and global peace.
In a related development, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh recently reaffirmed that both countries had reached a broad consensus on restoring normalcy along the Line of Actual Control (LAC). Singh indicated that diplomatic and military discussions are ongoing to resolve disputes in areas along the LAC, with agreements in place regarding patrolling and grazing rights in traditional areas.
The India-China border standoff, which began in 2020 in eastern Ladakh, remains a point of tension, but both countries have taken steps to ease the situation. The two nations are also poised to celebrate 75 years of diplomatic relations in 2025, marking a significant milestone in their bilateral ties.
(With inputs from ANI)