Jaishankar meets Xi Jinping, pushes to reset India-China ties amid border thaw

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar met Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing on Tuesday, marking a significant step toward mending India-China ties that have remained strained since the 2020 border standoff in Ladakh. The meeting took place ahead of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) foreign ministers’ conclave in Tianjin, where Jaishankar engaged with his counterparts from key member states.

“Apprised President Xi of the recent development of our bilateral ties. Value the guidance of our leaders in that regard,” Jaishankar said in a post on social media, reflecting a cautious optimism in India’s ongoing diplomatic outreach with China. He also conveyed greetings from President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the Chinese leader.

This marked Jaishankar’s first trip to China since the violent clashes in the Galwan Valley over four years ago, which had derailed diplomatic momentum and led to a freeze in high-level political exchanges. His visit is being viewed as a sign of tentative progress, especially following a recent agreement in October 2024 that marked the end of the prolonged military standoff along the Line of Actual Control (LAC).

On Monday, Jaishankar held bilateral discussions with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, where the two sides reviewed the state of ties and agreed on the need to build upon the “good progress” achieved so far. Jaishankar emphasised the importance of resolving outstanding border issues through de-escalation and dialogue. He also underlined the need to remove “restrictive trade measures and roadblocks” that have hampered economic engagement between the two Asian giants.

In Tianjin, Jaishankar also held separate meetings with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi. With Lavrov, the discussion focused on strengthening bilateral cooperation and reviewing the evolving regional and global security landscape. The two ministers reportedly discussed the situation in West Asia and preparations for Russian President Vladimir Putin’s upcoming visit to India for the annual summit.

Jaishankar described the meeting as a valuable exchange, stating, “Reviewed our bilateral cooperation and global developments with Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov of Russia in Tianjin this afternoon.”

With Iranian Foreign Minister Araghchi, Jaishankar discussed regional tensions and bilateral matters. “Good to catch up with FM @araghchi of Iran, this time on the sidelines of the SCO Foreign Ministers Meeting in Tianjin,” he posted.

Jaishankar’s two-day visit underscores India’s multi-pronged diplomacy within the SCO framework, seeking to recalibrate ties with China while reinforcing partnerships with Russia and Iran amid a complex regional environment.