New Delhi: Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi is expected to travel to India next week for high-level discussions with National Security Adviser (NSA) Ajit Doval, according to reports. The two leaders are the designated special representatives for their respective countries, tasked with addressing the long-standing boundary dispute that has often strained bilateral relations.
Talks ahead of PM Modi’s China trip
Yi’s visit and the talks with NSA Doval come ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s scheduled visit to China later this month to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit. This will be the PM’s first visit to the country since the Galwan Valley clashes in 2020, which marked one of the lowest points in India–China relations in recent decades.
Thawing Indo-Sino ties?
Wang’s anticipated visit comes amid signs of a gradual easing of tensions between the two neighbours, with recent troop disengagement in certain border sectors. Both sides have expressed a readiness to improve diplomatic engagement, particularly as global trade tensions rise following US President Donald Trump’s warning of potential steep tariffs on Asian economies.
In 2024, Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping held a meeting on the sidelines of the 16th BRICS Summit in Kazan. Observers saw the interaction as a step towards stabilising ties after years of mistrust.
India-China direct flights to resume
India and China are reportedly planning to resume direct passenger flights as early as next month, according to Bloomberg. This would be the first such service since flights were suspended during the COVID-19 pandemic.