Wang Yi-Jaishankar meet: China to resume fetiliser, rare earths exports to India

Visiting Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, in talks with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, assured New Delhi that Beijing will resume supplies of fertilisers, rare earth minerals and tunnel boring machines (TBMs), The Hindustan Times reported.

The move signals a step towards normalising ties, which had plunged to their lowest point after the Galwan clashes in 2022.

During his visit to China last month, Jaishankar had raised concerns over Beijing’s restrictions on imports of urea, NPK and DAP fertilisers, rare earths and TBMs.

“Foreign Minister Wang assured the External Affairs Minister that China is addressing India’s needs for fertilisers, rare earths and tunnel boring machines,” a person familiar with the talks told The Hindustan Times.

Boundary issues were kept off the agenda, with officials noting that National Security Adviser Ajit Doval will take them up in the Special Representatives’ dialogue on Tuesday. Wang is also scheduled to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi later in the day.

Jaishankar reiterated India’s consistent position on Taiwan, stressing that New Delhi maintains only economic and cultural engagement, in line with global practice.

Officials described the discussions as cordial, though US President Donald Trump’s tariff policies weighed on the talks. Both sides agreed to remain in dialogue, acknowledging that Washington’s trade decisions are likely to affect them.

The resumption of supplies marks a significant shift, as Beijing had halted exports to India for nearly a year. China accounts for nearly 30 per cent of India’s fertiliser imports, besides rare earths for auto parts and TBMs for infrastructure projects.

While Jaishankar and Wang avoided border issues, Doval is expected to press for de-escalation along the 3,488-km Line of Actual Control (LAC). Despite some friction points being resolved in Ladakh, heavy troop deployments continue on both sides.