India, China move to reset ties with focus on trade, air links, and people-to-people exchanges

High-level talks between Foreign Secretary Misri and China’s Sun Weidong mark a thaw in relations amid ongoing global realignments

June 13, 2025

Talks also focused on visa facilitation, think-tank exchanges, and the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra

China is pushing for PM Modi’s visit to Tianjin for the SCO summit; India remains non-committal

India raised concerns on rare earth export controls and China’s hydropower projects on the Brahmaputra

The meeting is part of a broader strategy as the U.S.-China move towards trade détente

India and China are stepping up efforts to stabilise and gradually rebuild their strained relationship, as top diplomats from both countries met in New Delhi this week for the second time this year. In a rare high-level visit, Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Sun Weidong met Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri to discuss a roadmap for normalising ties, focusing on trade, travel, and diplomatic exchanges.

The two sides agreed to fast-track the resumption of direct air services, initiate visa facilitation steps, and restart specific suspended dialogue mechanisms. The Indian readout highlighted New Delhi’s expectation for an updated Air Services Agreement and practical steps to enhance people-to-people exchanges, including between media houses and think tanks.

These discussions come when the U.S. and China are reportedly nearing a trade agreement, prompting New Delhi to re-engage Beijing more actively. Trade and economic concerns were also central to the India-China talks, with India pushing for transparency around rare earth exports and predictability in cross-border supply chains.

Beijing is keen to host Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit in Tianjin later this year, alongside Russian President Vladimir Putin and Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. India, however, has yet to confirm Modi’s participation and may wait to see the outcome of the 24th Special Representatives’ meeting on the boundary question, expected as early as July.

Sun also met with NSA Ajit Doval, with both sides reaffirming the importance of continuing SR-level talks that resumed in December 2023 after a five-year hiatus. They reviewed progress since the Modi-Xi meeting in Kazan last year and stressed the need to handle differences maturely while rebuilding trust.

India raised long-standing concerns about China’s hydropower projects on the Yarlung Tsangpo (Brahmaputra) and welcomed cooperation on hydrological data sharing. It also appreciated Chinese support for resuming the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra, which had paused since the COVID-19 pandemic.

Both countries also discussed planned activities under the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations in 2025. While China’s readout emphasised restoring dialogue mechanisms and trust-building, India’s version remained more measured, avoiding references to the SCO.

The meeting signals a pragmatic thaw in India-China ties—one that cautiously seeks stability without covering up deep-rooted strategic concerns.

Source: Times of India

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