VOIWORLD/DESK
India and China have agreed to reopen border trade, resume direct flights, and ease visa rules as part of efforts to reset bilateral ties strained since the 2020 Galwan Valley clashes.
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said both sides will work together to maintain peace in border areas through “friendly consultations” while addressing each other’s concerns. The announcement followed the 24th round of Special Representatives’ talks on the boundary issue in New Delhi, co-chaired by National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi.
According to the MEA, three designated border points will be reopened for trade, and dialogue mechanisms that had stalled in recent years will be revived to strengthen cooperation.
High-Level Engagements
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, who arrived in Delhi on Monday, met Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday after holding discussions with NSA Ajit Doval and External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar.
In a post on X, PM Modi noted that India-China ties had made “steady progress guided by respect for each other’s interests and sensitivities” since his meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Kazan last year. Modi also stressed that stable and constructive relations between India and China are vital for regional and global peace, expressing his intention to meet Xi on the sidelines of the upcoming SCO summit in Tianjin.
Wang Yi conveyed a personal message and invitation from Xi to Modi for the SCO gathering.
“Three Mutuals” as Guiding Principle
During his talks with Wang Yi, External Affairs Minister Jaishankar acknowledged the “difficult period” in India-China relations but underlined the need for a candid and constructive approach. He reiterated that ties should be guided by the “three mutuals” — mutual respect, mutual sensitivity, and mutual interest.
“Differences must not become disputes, nor competition conflict,” Jaishankar said, echoing remarks he had made earlier in China during the SCO foreign ministers’ meeting in July.
