Jaishankar Visits China After 5 Years, Meets President Xi to Reset Bilateral Ties

India's External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar met Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing on Tuesday, July 15, 2025, during his first visit to China in five years. The meeting took place as both countries attempted to revive relations following the tense 2020 military standoff in eastern Ladakh. Jaishankar's visit comes amid growing regional concerns and efforts to stabilize bilateral relations. The visit also marked the first meeting between an Indian foreign minister and Xi Jinping since the deadly Galwan Valley clash.

Jaishankar is in China for the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) foreign ministers’ meeting in Tianjin. During the official delegation call, he conveyed greetings from President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi and updated Xi on recent developments in India-China bilateral ties. In a post on X (formerly Twitter), he stated, "Called on President Xi Jinping this morning in Beijing along with my fellow SCO Foreign Ministers. Conveyed the greetings of President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Apprised President Xi of the recent development of our bilateral ties. Value the guidance of our leaders in that regard."

The meeting follows the October 2024 disengagement agreement at the final two friction points, Demchok and Depsang, which was a key development since the Galwan clash in June 2020. Jaishankar also met Chinese Vice President Han Zheng on July 14. He acknowledged improvements in bilateral ties and said the discussions during his trip are expected to maintain a positive trajectory. He expressed India's support for China's SCO Presidency.

During his meeting with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Monday, Jaishankar raised the issue of de-escalation along the Line of Actual Control (LAC), stressing the need to move forward in resolving border issues. He called for avoiding restrictive trade practices, pointing to Chinese curbs on critical mineral exports. He emphasized that "differences should not become disputes" and competition should not lead to conflict.

Jaishankar's visit builds on the momentum of Defence Minister Rajnath Singh's June visit to Qingdao for the SCO defence ministers' meeting—his first China trip in over a decade. National Security Advisor Ajit Doval also visited China in June for SCO deliberations. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi is expected to visit India in August to meet Doval under the Special Representatives (SR) mechanism aimed at resolving the long-standing boundary dispute.

However, tensions remain. Friction persists over issues like the Dalai Lama’s succession and China’s strong support for Pakistan during India's Operation Sindoor following the Pahalgam terror attack. Additionally, India's growing concerns about China's strategic closeness with Pakistan and Bangladesh have added strain.

India-china relation

India and China, two of the most populous nations and key global players in South and East Asia respectively, share a long and complex relationship marked by both cooperation and contention. India was the first non-socialist country to recognize the People’s Republic of China in 1950. However, the 1962 war caused a deep rift, leading to decades of mistrust. Relations began improving in 1988, fostering trade and dialogue, though border tensions—like the 2020 Galwan clash—persist.

Both nations engage through mechanisms like the Special Representatives dialogue, yet irritants remain, including China’s ties with Pakistan and India’s support for Tibetan exiles. Economically, China has been India’s largest trading partner (2008–2021), despite a trade deficit. Cooperation continues in multilateral forums like BRICS, G20, and SCO, with efforts to maintain cautious diplomatic and economic engagement. [Rh/VP]