On the sidelines of the BRICS NSA meeting in New Delhi, Indian NSA Ajit Doval and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi held 'constructive and forward-looking' talks, reviewing progress towards the gradual normalisation of bilateral ties.
In a significant diplomatic engagement on the sidelines of the BRICS National Security Advisers' meeting in New Delhi, Indian National Security Adviser (NSA) Ajit Doval met with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Monday. The talks, described by India's Ministry of External Affairs as "constructive and forward-looking," mark another step in the ongoing effort to recalibrate the bilateral relationship between the two Asian giants.
Sharing the details of the meeting in a post on X, the Ministry of External Affairs Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said, "The two sides reviewed recent developments in bilateral relations and noted progress towards gradual normalisation. NSA underlined that stable, predictable and constructive bilateral relations contribute to building trust and better understanding between the two sides. The discussions were constructive and forward-looking." https://x.com/MEAIndia/status/2069058736484700500 Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, Ambassador Vikram Doraiswami, Lt Gen Rajiv Ghai were among those present in the meeting from the Indian side.
A Pivotal Dialogue Amidst BRICS Meet
This dialogue comes at a pivotal time, as India currently holds the chair of the BRICS group, which is hosting the high-level security meeting in the national capital this Monday and Tuesday. The discussion signals a continued commitment from both New Delhi and Beijing to stabilise their ties following a period of sustained diplomatic friction.
Shift from Confrontation to Dialogue
The relationship between India and China underwent significant strain following a border clash in 2020, which led to years of heightened military and diplomatic tension. However, the diplomatic landscape shifted in 2024 as both nations moved toward de-escalation. The meeting between Doval and Wang Yi reflects the evolving nature of this re-engagement, characterised by a move away from confrontation and toward structured dialogue.
Wang Yi had earlier visited New Delhi last year and held talks with the NSA at the 24th Meeting of the Special Representatives in August. According to the MEA, in the round of talks last year, the two sides had then shared the view that peace and tranquillity had been maintained in the India-China border areas since the 23rd SR Talks. They reiterated the importance of maintaining peace and tranquillity in the border areas to promote the overall development of the India-China bilateral relationship.
High-Level Reaffirmation of Partnership
The visit comes as a part of the thaw of ties between New Delhi and Beijing following the subsequent meetings between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of key international summits such as the SCO Summit in Tianjin last year, where both leaders welcomed the positive momentum and steady progress in bilateral relations since their last meeting in Kazan in October 2024.They had reaffirmed that the two countries were development partners and not rivals, and that their differences should not turn into disputes.
"A stable relationship and cooperation between India and China and their 2.8 billion peoples on the basis of mutual respect, mutual interest and mutual sensitivity are necessary for the growth and development of the two countries, as well as for a multipolar world and a multi-polar Asia befitting the trends of the 21st century," the Ministry of External Affairs noted in a statement after the meeting between the leaders. (ANI)
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