Peace, progress, and partnership: India, China chart forward-looking roadmap for bilateral ties

New Delhi, Aug 19 In a significant diplomatic engagement, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi held wide-ranging bilateral talks in New Delhi on Tuesday. According to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), the discussions were “positive, constructive, and forward-looking,” covering bilateral, regional, and global issues of mutual concern.

The MEA has issued a list of outcomes of the meeting. In this document released after the meeting, the MEA said, “Both sides underscored that the strategic guidance of the leaders of India and China plays an irreplaceable and crucial role in the development of India-China relations. They agreed that a stable, cooperative and forward-looking bilateral relationship is in their mutual interest to realise their development potential fully. They further agreed that both sides should earnestly implement the important common understandings reached between the two leaders and promote the sustained, sound and steady development of India-China relations.”

A key highlight of the meeting was mutual support for major diplomatic events hosted by both nations. The Chinese side welcomed Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s upcoming visit to Tianjin for the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit, while India reaffirmed its “full support to the Chinese SCO Presidency, and looked forward to a successful SCO Summit with fruitful outcomes.”

The two sides also committed to bolstering future cooperation through major multilateral platforms. “The Chinese side will support India in hosting the 2026 BRICS Summit. The Indian side will support China in hosting the 2027 BRICS Summit,” the document noted.

In a move to normalise and deepen official engagements, “both sides agreed to explore and resume various official bilateral dialogue mechanisms and exchanges to enhance cooperation and address each other’s concerns and properly manage differences, including holding the Third Meeting of the India-China High-level Mechanism on People-to-People Exchanges in India in 2026.”

As both nations approach a milestone in their diplomatic ties, the MEA confirmed that “both sides agreed to continue supporting each other in holding events in 2025 to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between India and China.”

In a boost to connectivity and people-to-people exchanges, the ministers also agreed to resume direct flights between India and mainland China at the earliest. They also committed to finalising an updated Air Services Agreement and facilitating visas for tourists, businesses, media personnel, and other visitors from both countries.

Pilgrimage diplomacy also found space in the discussions. The MEA stated, “Both sides agreed to continue and further expand the scale of Indian pilgrimage to Mt. Kailash (Mount Gang Renpoche) and Lake Manasarovar (Mapam Yun Tso) in Xizang Autonomous Region of China in 2026.”

On the economic front, the two sides agreed to “facilitate trade and investment flows between the two countries through concrete measures,” reflecting a shared desire to boost economic engagement despite broader geopolitical challenges.

Border stability — a sensitive and long-standing issue — was also addressed. “Both sides agreed to jointly maintain peace and tranquillity in the border areas through friendly consultations,” the statement affirmed, indicating a commitment to prevent tensions from escalating.

Concluding the talks, the two foreign ministers reiterated their shared commitment to multilateralism and global cooperation. “Both sides agreed to uphold multilateralism, enhance communication on major international and regional issues, maintain a rules-based multilateral trading system with the WTO at its core, and promote a multipolar world that safeguards the interests of developing countries.”

The talks mark an important step toward resetting the trajectory of India-China relations with a roadmap built on dialogue, mutual respect, and shared global responsibilities.

--IANS

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