Modi meets Wang Yi, calls for stable and constructive India-China ties

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday met Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi at his residence, 7 Lok Kalyan Marg, as part of India’s efforts to ease tensions with Beijing.

Wang, who is also a member of the Politburo of the Communist Party of China, handed over a message and invitation from President Xi Jinping for the upcoming Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit in Tianjin. He also conveyed his positive assessment of talks with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and the 24th round of Special Representatives’ dialogue, which he co-chaired with National Security Adviser Ajit Doval.

“Glad to meet Foreign Minister Wang Yi. Since my meeting with President Xi in Kazan last year, India-China relations have made steady progress guided by respect for each other’s interests and sensitivities. I look forward to our next meeting in Tianjin on the sidelines of the SCO Summit. Stable, predictable, constructive ties between India and China will contribute significantly to regional as well as global peace and prosperity,” Modi said in a tweet after the meeting.

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Prime Minister Modi emphasised the importance of maintaining peace and tranquillity along the border, reiterating India’s commitment to a fair, reasonable and mutually acceptable resolution of the boundary question. He also welcomed the resumption of the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra as a sign of improving bilateral ties.

Modi thanked President Xi for the SCO invitation and conveyed his acceptance, expressing support for China’s presidency of the summit. He said he looked forward to meeting Xi in Tianjin later this month.

Earlier, NSA Doval underlined the “new energy and momentum” in India-China ties and described peace on the border as a key factor. The two sides held what was described as “substantial” discussions at the 24th round of Special Representatives’ talks.

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On Monday, welcoming Wang to India, Jaishankar noted that this was the first visit by a Chinese minister since the Modi–Xi meeting in Kazan in October 2024. He said the talks provided an opportunity to review bilateral ties and exchange views on the global situation and issues of mutual interest.

Acknowledging the “difficult period” in relations, Jaishankar stressed the need for a candid and constructive approach, guided by the “three mutuals” — mutual respect, mutual sensitivity and mutual interest. “Differences must not become disputes, nor competition conflict,” he observed.

The minister said discussions would cover economic and trade issues, pilgrimages, people-to-people contacts, river data sharing, border trade, connectivity and bilateral exchanges. He underlined the importance of progress on border de-escalation, noting that “the basis for any positive momentum in our ties is the ability to jointly maintain peace and tranquillity in the border areas.”

On the global stage, Jaishankar reiterated India’s support for a fair, balanced and multipolar world order, including a multipolar Asia, alongside reformed multilateralism. He also emphasised the need for stability in the global economy and joint efforts against terrorism.

Jaishankar said he hoped the discussions would contribute to a stable, cooperative and forward-looking relationship between India and China, adding that India supported China’s presidency of the upcoming SCO Summit in Tianjin.

Wang arrived in Delhi on Monday primarily for the boundary dialogue. His visit is seen as part of ongoing efforts by both neighbours to rebuild ties after the deadly Galwan Valley clashes in 2020.