An important step in the continuous attempts to strengthen India-China relations was taken on July 14, 2025, when External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar visited Beijing. Given the current diplomatic and security difficulties, this is Jaishankar’s first visit to China in five years, highlighting its significance.
Shortly after his arrival in Beijing, Jaishankar met with Chinese Vice President Han Zheng. Jaishankar emphasized the recent progress in bilateral relations and expressed India’s backing for China’s Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) presidency during their talks. He was hopeful that his visit would contribute to keeping the relationship’s positive momentum going.
India-China relations have been improving since Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Xi Jinping met in Kazan last October, Jaishankar said in his remarks. He emphasized that ongoing communication at the highest levels is what has led to the consistent strengthening of ties.
The 75th anniversary of India and China’s diplomatic ties is marked by the visit. In particular, Jaishankar said that the return of the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra, which had been halted for almost five years, was a much-needed development in India. These kinds of acts are regarded as significant indicators of goodwill and normalcy.
Jaishankar acknowledged the complexities of the current geopolitical scenario while speaking about the larger picture. Given their proximity and significant economies, he emphasized the value of candid discussions between China and India in order to successfully navigate global issues.
Jaishankar will have a bilateral meeting with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi. Both parties asked for greater mutual trust and support during their most recent meeting, which took place in Johannesburg on the fringes of the G20 summit.
Jaishankar’s attendance in the SCO Council of Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in Tianjin on July 15 is part of the tour. On the margins of this event, Jaishankar will also undertake more bilateral discussions, according to confirmation from the Indian Ministry of External Affairs.
This visit comes after National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh both traveled to China in June to attend SCO meetings. Notably, in an effort to settle the long-running boundary dispute, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi is scheduled to travel to India next month to hold talks with NSA Ajit Doval through the Special Representatives (SR) arrangement.
These events take place against the backdrop of the 2020 Galwan Valley conflict, the deadliest border combat between India and China in more than 40 years, which claimed lives on both sides and severely damaged bilateral relationships. According to reports, during the brief Modi-Xi encounter in Kazan, the decision was reached to resurrect the SR discussion and other inactive channels, indicating a shared intention to stabilize relations.
Since then, there have been small but significant advancements, including the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra’s return. Despite navigating a challenging regional and global environment, both sides seem dedicated to maintaining communication and investigating win-win solutions.
A measured but obvious step toward normalizing India-China relations is Jaishankar’s visit to China. A common goal in preserving a good trajectory is indicated by the emphasis on discussion, support for multilateral cooperation through the SCO, and the resurgence of people-to-people contacts like the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra.
With more high-level interactions scheduled in the upcoming months, it will be crucial to ascertain whether this momentum can be maintained and converted into long-term fixes for persistent problems.
