External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar met Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in Rio de Janeiro. The two leaders reviewed recent progress in disengagement efforts in Ladakh and discussed the next steps in strengthening bilateral ties.  

Jaishankar shared details of the meeting on social media platform X, saying, “On the sidelines of the G20 Summit in Rio, met CPC Politburo member and FM Wang Yi of China. Noted the progress in the recent disengagement in the India-China border areas.” He added that the discussion also covered the global situation and bilateral relations between India and China.  

The meeting follows a prior engagement between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping during the BRICS Summit in Kazan, Russia. At that meeting, PM Modi emphasized the importance of India-China relations for regional and global stability.  

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh had earlier highlighted ongoing diplomatic and military discussions aimed at resolving conflicts along the Line of Actual Control (LAC). Singh noted, “There has been a broad consensus to restore the ground situation based on equal and mutual security. The disengagement process is nearly complete, and we aim to move beyond disengagement soon.”  

The border standoff in eastern Ladakh, which began in 2020 due to Chinese military actions, has significantly strained bilateral ties. However, recent agreements on patrolling arrangements along the LAC signal positive developments.  

As India and China approach the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations, efforts to stabilize ties appear to be gaining momentum.

(ANI)