On August 18, 2025, Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar met with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi in New Delhi, urging that peace and tranquility along the Himalayas border are essential to further improve relations between the two nations. This diplomatic engagement, part of Wang’s two-day visit, includes the 24th round of border talks with India’s National Security Adviser Ajit Doval and a scheduled meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. (Reuters, AP News)
Significance of the Visit
India insists that sustainable progress in bilateral ties hinges on de-escalating tensions and pulling back military forces deployed along the disputed high-altitude border. Jaishankar emphasized that “border peace is the basis for any positive momentum in our ties,” underscoring the sensitive context shaped by the 2020 Himalayan border clashes. (Reuters, AP News)
Building on Past Progress
This diplomatic engagement follows a gradual thaw in tensions after India and China agreed last year to ease frontier patrol protocols. That breakthrough marked the first forward step in a years-long impasse over border militarization and disrupted trade, air travel, and tourism. With Prime Minister Modi set to visit China soon for the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit, these talks have taken on critical strategic importance. (Reuters, Time)
