Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to visit China later this month to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit—his first visit to Beijing since the deadly 2020 border clashes in eastern Ladakh that severely strained India-China relations.
Prior to his China visit, Prime Minister Modi will travel to Japan on August 30. The upcoming two-day visit to China marks a significant step forward in the cautious thawing of ties between the two Asian powers.
Earlier in June, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar had participated in the SCO ministerial meetings. During his visit to Beijing, Dr. Jaishankar also held talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping, during which he briefed the Chinese leadership on recent developments in bilateral relations. He reaffirmed the importance of sustained strategic communication and high-level guidance in steering the future of India-China ties.
India-China Relations: A Gradual Recalibration
Bilateral relations between India and China reached their lowest point in decades following the violent Galwan Valley clashes in May 2020, which resulted in the death of 20 Indian soldiers. Chinese casualties were also reported, marking the most severe military confrontation between the two nations since the 1962 war.
After years of strained diplomatic engagement, Prime Minister Modi met President Xi on the sidelines of the 16th BRICS Summit held in Kazan on October 23, 2024. The meeting was widely viewed as a turning point in reviving India-China ties. Both leaders welcomed the agreement for complete disengagement in the border areas and underscored the importance of resolving disputes peacefully and maintaining stability along the Line of Actual Control (LAC).
On October 21, 2024, India and China reached a landmark agreement on patrolling and grazing rights in the Depsang and Demchok regions. The accord restored the status quo that existed prior to the 2020 standoff, with both nations agreeing to resume traditional activities in accordance with long-standing protocols.
Positive Momentum and Forward Steps
In a series of confidence-building measures, India and China have since agreed to resume direct air connectivity and facilitate the long-suspended Kailash Mansarovar Yatra for Indian pilgrims. Additional steps include streamlining visa processes and sharing hydrological data on transboundary rivers to enhance cooperation in environmental and disaster management.
Further strengthening diplomatic ties, the Indian Embassy in Beijing announced last month that India will resume issuing tourist visas to Chinese nationals, signalling a broader intent to normalise people-to-people exchanges.
Prime Minister Modi's upcoming visit to China could pave the way for deeper engagement and a more stable bilateral framework between the two largest nations in Asia, as both sides look to move past a period of heightened tension towards pragmatic cooperation.
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