Tenzin NyidonÂ
DHARAMSHALA, Aug. 17: Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi is set to arrive in New Delhi on Monday for a two-day visit, during which he will hold the 24th round of Special Representatives (SR) talks on the India-China boundary question at the invitation of National Security Advisor Ajit Doval. His visit also includes bilateral discussions with External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, signalling a renewed phase of high-level engagement between the two countries after years of tense standoff along the disputed border.
The Ministry of External Affairs confirmed that the talks will focus on maintaining peace and stability along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) and advancing confidence-building measures. According to Indian officials, the SR mechanism, led on the Indian side by NSA Doval and on the Chinese side by Wang Yi, remains the primary channel for dialogue on the protracted boundary dispute.
This round of talks comes against the backdrop of a fragile thaw in relations. Since the deadly Galwan Valley clash in June 2020, ties between India and China have remained strained, with multiple rounds of military and diplomatic negotiations struggling to achieve a full disengagement in several friction points in eastern Ladakh. Last October, however, both sides reached an agreement on patrolling norms, which eased tensions in some sectors of the LAC.
Wang Yi’s visit is the second senior-level exchange between the two countries since 2020, underlining a cautious effort to put relations back on track. His meetings in New Delhi are also expected to pave the way for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s trip to China later this month for the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit, where he is scheduled to meet President Xi Jinping.
Diplomatic observers note that beyond the border issue, both sides are expected to discuss ways to normalise broader ties, including the resumption of direct flights, facilitation of trade, and reopening routes for Indian pilgrims to Kailash Mansarovar in Tibet. India, while seeking de-escalation on the LAC, has consistently maintained that progress in the bilateral relationship is contingent on peace and tranquillity at the border.
