India and China Forge Ahead: Discussions on Border Disputes, Trade, and Travel Mark a Thaw in Relations

During his visit, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi met with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, following discussions with NSA Ajit Doval and External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar. Wang’s two-day visit is seen as a concerted effort by both countries to repair relations strained since the Galwan Valley clash in 2020. The Indian Ministry of External Affairs noted that relations with China are recovering after the Galwan incident. Wang’s visit yielded agreements on several fronts, including ensuring peace and stability on the border and accelerating the resolution of border disputes. Moreover, there was consensus on reopening border trade, re-establishing direct flights, and expanding the pilgrimage opportunities for Indian visitors to Kailash Mansarovar. Key agreements between the two nations include: working towards resolving the India-China border dispute; forming an expert group to resolve border demarcation issues; discussing reductions in military force; restoring direct flight services expeditiously; finalizing the air service agreement; issuing visas for tourists and professionals; increasing the scope of Indian pilgrimages; China sharing river-related information; restarting border trade at three points; promoting India-China multilateralism; discussing cooperation on trans-border rivers; and agreeing to celebrate the 75th anniversary of diplomatic ties. Over the last 9-10 months, there has been considerable progress in India-China relations. After the meeting with Wang, NSA Doval mentioned the peaceful state of the borders, the prevailing harmony, and the strengthening of bilateral ties. He also cited the meeting between PM Modi and Xi Jinping in Kazan as a key moment in improving relations. This meeting took place shortly after an agreement for troop disengagement in eastern Ladakh. The Chinese Foreign Minister also engaged with his counterpart, S. Jaishankar. The discussions focused on issues of mutual interest, both bilateral and those concerning regional and international matters. India also raised the subject of cross-border terrorism, and Wang expressed agreement. Both sides agreed to maintain peace and harmony along the LAC.