India and China moving in a positive direction, says EAM Jaishankar: ‘Obviously better than the last time I was here’

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said on Wednesday, April 9, that India and China were moving towards a ‘positive direction’ in their ties. However, the minister said work needs to be done to normalise the relationship.

“I think we are moving in a positive direction,” Jaishankar said, speaking at the News 18 Rising Bharat Summit.

India-China relations plunged to their lowest point since the 1962 war following the Galwan Valley clashes in 2020. Following a series of diplomatic and military talks, the two sides withdrew their troops from several friction points along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh.

In October last, the two sides firmed up a disengagement pact for Depsang and Demchok, the last two friction points in eastern Ladakh. “It's obviously better than the last time I was here. I think the disengagement, particularly the Depsang-Demchok, was important,” the MEA said at the summit.

The disengagement at Demchok and Depsang Plains in the Eastern Ladakh sector adhered to agreements between both sides and Indian troops pulled back equipment to rear locations in these areas beginning in October 2024.

The significant development came days after both India and China reached a border pact, ending a four-year stalemate. The relations between the two countries soured after the deadly clashes between soldiers in June 2020, which left at least 20 Indian Army personnel and an unknown number of Chinese dead.

Days after the agreement was finalised, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping held talks in Kazan and took a number of decisions to improve the ties.

‘Issues on the border remained’

Jaishankar suggested on Wednesday that issues on the border remained to some extent because of the force build up over a period of years.

“But there were many other things that also happened during this period; some of them were collaterals of the situation, and some were actually a carryover from the Covid era. For example, our direct flights stopped during Covid, they were not resumed,” he said.

“The Kailash Mansarovar Yatra stopped during Covid. It did not again resume. I think there is work to be done. We are at it,” he said, adding that both sides are looking into these issues.

Last month, India and China explored ways to rebuild ties and agreed to initiate efforts to promote people-to-people exchanges, including arrangements for resumption of direct flights and resume Kailash Manasarovar Yatra this year.

In December, NSA Ajit Doval travelled to Beijing and held talks with Foreign Minister Wang under the framework of Special Representatives (SR) dialogue on the boundary question. In January, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri visited Beijing and held talks with his Chinese counterpart, Sun Weidong.

(With agency inputs)