Indian Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar stated on Monday that relations between New Delhi and Beijing have been “gradually moving” in a positive direction over the past nine months.
Speaking during his visit to China for the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) foreign ministers’ meeting, Jaishankar told his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi that this progress has been driven by the resolution of border tensions and the maintenance of peace along their shared frontier.
“Since the leaders’ meeting in Kazan in October 2024, the India-China relationship has been steadily improving,” Jaishankar said. “It is our collective responsibility to sustain this momentum.”
The talks between Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping at the 2024 BRICS summit in Kazan marked a thaw in bilateral ties, which had been strained since the 2020 border clash in the Himalayas that resulted in casualties on both sides.
In Beijing, Jaishankar emphasized the importance of continued efforts to strengthen bilateral relations. “We have previously agreed that differences should not escalate into disputes, nor should competition turn into conflict,” he said. “Building on this foundation, we can advance our partnership along a positive path.”
The Foreign Minister also expressed gratitude to China for permitting Indian pilgrims to visit sacred sites in Tibet after a five-year hiatus, highlighting that “steps to normalize people-to-people exchanges” could enhance mutually beneficial cooperation.
Addressing trade concerns, Jaishankar urged avoidance of “restrictive trade measures and roadblocks,” implicitly referencing China’s recent restrictions on exports of fertilizers and rare earth magnets to India.
Earlier on Monday, Jaishankar met with Chinese Vice President Han Zheng, calling for the continued normalization of bilateral ties. Han echoed this sentiment, stating, “Becoming partners that enable each other’s success and achieving the ‘dragon-elephant tango’ is the right path for both nations.”
Jaishankar also expressed India’s support for China’s leadership of the SCO. The Council of Foreign Ministers of SCO Member States is scheduled to convene in Tianjin on Tuesday. (Source: RT)
