Jaishankar Meets Chinese President Xi Jinping, First Meeting Since Galwan Clash

National News: In a significant diplomatic development, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar met Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing on Tuesday. This marked the first high-level interaction between the two leaders since the 2020 Galwan Valley clash, as both nations work toward thawing their strained ties following the prolonged border dispute in eastern Ladakh. Jaishankar is currently in Beijing to attend the Foreign Ministers' meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO). Speaking about the meeting, he emphasized its importance in steering India-China relations back on track. 

“Met President Xi Jinping in Beijing this morning. Conveyed greetings from President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. I briefed him on the recent progress in our bilateral relations. I deeply value the guidance of our top leadership in strengthening our ties,” Jaishankar wrote in a post on social media.

A Step Forward in Easing Border Tensions

The meeting gains further significance in light of the October 2024 agreement between India and China regarding military disengagement from the final two friction points—Demchok and Depsang. Following this consensus, both countries agreed to resume diplomatic channels that had largely fallen silent post-Galwan.

During his interaction with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Monday, Jaishankar reiterated India’s stance on reducing tensions along the Line of Actual Control (LAC). He stressed the need for continued confidence-building measures and emphasized the urgency of addressing unresolved border issues.

“In the past nine months, we have witnessed encouraging progress toward normalization. The focus now should shift to further easing tensions and resolving remaining issues on the LAC,” Jaishankar stated.

Trade Concerns and Strategic Balance

Jaishankar also raised concerns about non-tariff barriers and China's export restrictions on critical minerals, urging Beijing to ensure smoother trade relations. He underlined that geopolitical differences must not escalate into disputes, and healthy competition should not evolve into open confrontation.

“Differences should not become disputes. Competition must not transform into confrontation,” Jaishankar said, highlighting India’s desire for a balanced and stable relationship. His visit follows that of Defense Minister Rajnath Singh, who traveled to Qingdao in June, marking another step in India’s efforts to revive high-level engagement with China.

Road Ahead: A Potential Modi-Xi Summit?

These diplomatic engagements are seen as part of a broader strategy to pave the way for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s potential visit to China later this year for the SCO Leaders’ Summit. However, some key irritants continue to hinder the full normalization of ties. The Dalai Lama succession issue and Beijing’s support for Pakistan—especially following India’s Operation Sindoor in response to the recent Pahalgam terror attack—remain critical points of friction. While both nations appear committed to dialogue, the road to fully restoring bilateral trust is still fraught with challenges.