Chinese Communist Party delegation meets BJP leaders in Delhi
What's the story
A delegation from the Chinese Communist Party (CPC) met senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders at the party's headquarters in New Delhi on Monday. This was the first formal party-to-party meeting since the 2020 Galwan Valley clash that had strained India-China relations. The CPC delegation was led by Sun Haiyan, Vice Minister of the International Department of the CPC (IDCPC).
Discussion focus
Meeting aimed at enhancing inter-party communications
The meeting was attended by Arun Singh, BJP General Secretary, and Chinese Ambassador to India, Xu Feihong. BJP foreign affairs department in-charge Vijay Chauthaiwale said in a post on X that the two sides "discussed at length the means to advance inter party communications between the BJP and CPC" during the meeting.
Past engagements
Historical context of BJP-CPC interactions
The BJP and CPC have interacted since the late 2000s, with several BJP delegations visiting Beijing. However, this is their first meeting since the Galwan clash in 2020. The outreach comes after a gradual thaw in ties between India and China following Prime Minister Narendra Modi's bilateral interaction with Chinese President Xi Jinping at the BRICS summit in Russia's Kazan in October 2024.
Diplomatic progress
Ongoing efforts to improve India-China relations
Since the 2024 agreement, both countries have taken steps to improve ties. Direct flights between India and China have resumed, and China restarted the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra in summer 2025. India has also resumed issuing visas for Chinese nationals, while Beijing granted export licenses for rare earth elements to Indian businesses.
Domestic politics
Political tensions in India amid thawing ties with China
The meeting also comes amid political tensions in India, where the BJP and Congress have traded accusations over ties with Beijing. In the past, the BJP had accused Congress MP Rahul Gandhi of signing a "secret" MoU with the CPC during a visit to Beijing. Meanwhile, Congress leaders Mallikarjun Kharge and Gandhi have accused PM Modi of being "scared of China" and not responding firmly to its aggression during the Galwan Valley clashes.