Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi will arrive in New Delhi on a two-day visit beginning August 18, marking yet another crucial round of dialogue between India and China as both sides cautiously attempt to stabilise ties strained by the 2020 Galwan Valley clash.
According to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), Wang will hold the 24th round of Special Representatives’ (SR) talks on the boundary question with National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval, who represents India in this format.
Both leaders are the designated interlocutors for the boundary dialogue mechanism, one of the few structured channels still operational despite years of military standoff.
The timing of the visit is particularly significant. It comes just days before Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s planned trip to China for the annual Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Tianjin (August 31–September 1), following his visit to Japan.
The Chinese outreach through Wang Yi’s visit appears to be part of a calibrated effort to smooth the ground ahead of Modi–Xi Jinping’s possible face-to-face interactions.
Border Deadlock and Staggered Normalisation
Although India and China have completed disengagement in some friction points along the Line of Actual Control (LAC), the situation remains far from normal.
An estimated 50,000–60,000 troops remain deployed in high-altitude areas on both sides, underlining the fragile trust deficit.
Discussions now centre on de-escalation and de-induction of troops, which India sees as essential before broader ties can return to normal.
Meanwhile, Beijing and New Delhi are cautiously reopening other channels of engagement:
- Exploring the resumption of Kailash Mansarovar Yatra.
- Discussions on restoring direct flight services.
- India is considering the reopening of tourist visas for Chinese nationals.
These measures, while symbolic, also signal the intent to move beyond confrontation toward practical cooperation.
High-Level Engagements and Strategic Context
India’s diplomatic calendar has been dense with China engagements in recent months. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar both travelled to China for the SCO meetings, while NSA Ajit Doval was in Beijing for an SCO special representatives’ session in June.
Earlier this year, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri also held talks in China, including discussions on aviation and people-to-people exchanges.
This steady rhythm of dialogue illustrates both countries’ recognition that managing the relationship is as vital as resolving disputes.
For Beijing, India remains a critical regional player it cannot afford to alienate; for New Delhi, balancing assertiveness on the border with pragmatism in diplomacy is the only sustainable path forward.
Parallel Conversations with the West
Interestingly, Wang’s visit coincides with India’s parallel engagement with Western powers. On Saturday, EAM S. Jaishankar held a call with his British counterpart David Lammy, where discussions included the Ukraine conflict and the US–Russia summit diplomacy around it.
This underlines India’s broader balancing act—managing its tense boundary equation with China even as it deepens conversations with Western partners over global security issues.
Strategic Takeaway
The Wang–Doval meeting is less about a breakthrough and more about maintaining momentum. The fact that India and China continue structured boundary talks while simultaneously working on civilian exchanges suggests a recognition on both sides: a managed rivalry is preferable to an uncontrolled escalation.
However, with tens of thousands of troops still facing each other across the LAC, the road to true normalisation remains long, fragile, and deeply political.
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