With high-level talks resuming, Wang Yi’s India visit and Modi’s SCO trip signal a cautious thaw, even as border disengagement and trade revival test the fragile détente….reports Asian Lite News
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi is expected to visit India later this month for Special Representative (SR)-level talks with National Security Adviser Ajit Doval, sources said on Wednesday. The meeting, if confirmed, would mark another step in the gradual revival of high-level engagement between the two Asian giants, whose relations have been strained in recent years by military tensions along the Line of Actual Control (LAC).
The anticipated talks come against the backdrop of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit, to be held in Tianjin, China, from 31 August to 1 September. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping are likely to meet on the sidelines of the gathering, which will be attended by leaders from over 20 countries and representatives from 10 international organisations.
Beijing formally extended an invitation to Mr Modi for the SCO meeting, with Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun expressing optimism about its outcome. “China welcomes Prime Minister Modi to China for the SCO Tianjin Summit. We believe that with the concerted effort of all parties, the Tianjin summit will be a gathering of solidarity, friendship and fruitful results, and the SCO will enter a new stage of high-quality development featuring greater solidarity, coordination, dynamism and productiveness,” Guo said at a press briefing.
While the Ministry of External Affairs in New Delhi has yet to confirm the Prime Minister’s travel plans, the possible Wang-Doval dialogue is seen as a crucial precursor. The SR-level talks serve as a platform for addressing the long-standing boundary dispute and exploring steps to maintain peace in sensitive border zones.
Easing Tensions at the LAC
Recent months have seen tangible movement in military-to-military negotiations between India and China. The two sides have reportedly agreed to disengage and resume patrolling in the Depsang Plains and Demchok areas — locations that have been at the centre of friction since the 2020 standoff in eastern Ladakh. These measures are aimed at reducing the risk of clashes and restoring a semblance of normalcy along the LAC.
In addition to these security arrangements, both governments have allowed the resumption of the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra, a pilgrimage of deep religious significance for Hindus, after a prolonged suspension. The decision is being viewed as a gesture of goodwill and an attempt to rebuild people-to-people connections through cultural diplomacy.
Thaw in Economic and People-to-People Ties
Relations are also showing signs of improvement beyond the security domain. Tourist visas have been reinstated after a five-year freeze, reopening avenues for travel and cultural exchange. Business links are being revived too, with Indian diesel shipments reaching Chinese ports for the first time in over three years. These developments point to a cautious revival of economic ties, even as both sides remain wary of each other’s strategic intentions.
India and China have also continued to coordinate within multilateral groupings such as BRICS, the SCO and the G20, suggesting that both countries are willing to compartmentalise differences on certain issues while cooperating on broader regional and global matters.
Diplomatic Context
Mr Modi’s last visit to China took place in 2018, when he attended the informal summit in Wuhan in April and the SCO Heads of State meeting in Qingdao in June. Since then, the two leaders have met several times on the sidelines of multilateral events, the most recent being in October 2024 at the BRICS Summit in Kazan, Russia. That meeting produced an agreement on patrolling arrangements in eastern Ladakh and a commitment to hold SR-level talks soon — a pledge now likely to be realised with Wang Yi’s visit.
The timing of these engagements also comes amid external pressures on India, including new tariffs imposed by then-US President Donald Trump over New Delhi’s continued purchase of Russian oil. Analysts note that such developments could push India to diversify its diplomatic engagements, including cautiously improving ties with Beijing.
While significant differences remain, particularly on the boundary question, the resumption of high-level contacts, combined with incremental confidence-building steps, signals a willingness on both sides to explore a managed stability in their complex relationship. Whether the upcoming SCO summit and SR-level dialogue can deliver substantive progress will depend on the readiness of New Delhi and Beijing to translate gestures into lasting agreements.
