Jaishankar heads to China for the first time in 5 years: What’s on agenda and why it matters

External Affaira Minister Dr S Jaishankar - File Photo

External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar is set to make his first visit to China in over five years, traveling to Beijing this weekend for a bilateral discussion with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, reported Bloomberg, citing people familiar with the matter. The meeting comes amid efforts by both nations to mend relations following the deadly 2020 border clashes.

Following high-level talks in the Chinese capital, Jaishankar will proceed to Tianjin to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) council of foreign ministers, taking place on July 14–15. That the ministers are meeting before the multilateral summit underlines their mutual desire to stabilise ties through direct diplomacy, rather than relying solely on group meetings.

According to sources quoted by Bloomberg, the talks are expected to cover a wide range of sensitive issues, including:

• Securing rare-earth supplies essential for India’s technology and defence sectors
• The Dalai Lama’s succession, a topic of continued friction between New Delhi and Beijing
• The recent uptick in India–Pakistan tensions, with both countries being SCO members
• The resumption of direct flights between India and China, restored in January after a five-year hiatus

Jaishankar’s visit follows a flurry of high-level exchanges that began late last year, marking a diplomatic thaw between the two Asian neighbours. National Security Adviser Ajit Doval met Wang Yi in Beijing in both December and June to discuss border disengagement. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh attended the SCO’s defence ministers’ meeting in Qingdao in June - his first visit to China in five years.

Despite diplomatic progress, several points of contention remain. India maintains visa and investment restrictions on China, while Beijing has imposed export controls on critical minerals.

Earlier this month, Beijing lodged a diplomatic protest after Modi publicly extended birthday greetings to the Dalai Lama, whom China views as a separatist.

During the Qingdao defence ministers’ meeting, Singh refused to endorse a joint statement due to omissions around terrorism concerns — another reflection of divergent strategic positions.

Rebuilding trust: The 2020 clashes resulted in casualties on both sides, pushing relations to their lowest ebb in decades.

Strategic balance: With China’s growing regional presence and India’s Western partnerships, the two neighbours are seeking a pragmatic reset.

SCO dynamics: As key players in the China-led bloc alongside Pakistan, Russia, and Central Asian states, India and China are recalibrating their influence within the organisation.