Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi to visit India, meet Jaishankar
What's the story
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi will arrive in New Delhi on Monday for a two-day visit, during which he will meet External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar. The meeting is expected to focus on normalizing bilateral relations and de-escalation along the Line of Actual Control (LAC). This visit comes ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's trip to China for the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit.
Diplomatic discussions
Wang likely to meet PM Modi
Wang will also hold talks with National Security Adviser Ajit Doval under the Special Representatives mechanism. He is likely to meet Prime Minister Modi on Tuesday evening. The visit is seen as a key step in preparing for Modi's upcoming SCO Summit trip, where he is likely to have a bilateral meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping.
Border discussions
Jaishankar last met Wang in July
At their last meeting in Beijing on July 14, Jaishankar had stressed the need to build on "good progress" in normalizing relations by addressing border issues. Despite an agreement on October 21, 2024, to end the LAC standoff by withdrawing forces from Demchok and Depsang, de-escalation remains incomplete. The 24th Special Representatives meeting will discuss peace measures along the contested border and resuming border trade.
Trilateral talks
Wang may visit Pakistan after India trip
Reports suggest that after his India visit, Wang may travel to Kabul for a trilateral meeting with Pakistani counterpart Ishaq Dar and Taliban foreign minister Amir Khan Muttaqi. The meeting was earlier planned in Islamabad but was postponed due to travel restrictions on Muttaqi. There are also indications that Wang might visit Islamabad during this trip.