National Security Advisor Ajit Doval on Tuesday confirmed for the first time that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will travel to China to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Tianjin on August 31 and September 1.
Announcing the first official confirmation of Modi’s participation, Doval also noted an “upward trend” in India-China ties since his last visit to Beijing.
Doval met Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi in New Delhi for the 24th round of special representative level talks on the India-China border issues.
He said the borders have been quiet in recent months and called the situation peace and tranquil.
“The bilateral engagements between the two countries have been more substantial now,” he said. “The new environment that has been created has helped us in moving ahead in the various areas that we are working on.”
Doval had attended the 23rd meeting of the special representatives of India and China in Beijing on December 18, 2024.
Expressing optimism about the latest round of dialogue, he said, “I am hopeful that, like the last one, this 24th special representative level talks will be equally successful.”
Wang Yi said he was pleased to meet him again in New Delhi.
He noted that the setbacks experienced in recent years between India and China were not in the interests of the people of either country.
Referring to the October 2024 meeting between President Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Kazan, Wang said it had provided direction for the development of bilateral relations and given fresh impetus to efforts at resolving boundary issues.
He highlighted the outcome of the 23rd round of talks last year, saying they had led to new consensus on managing disagreements, stabilising the borders and moving towards a settlement.
“We identified specific goals and formed a working framework. We are heartened to see the stability that is now restored on the borders,” he said.
Wang added that the current phase presented “an important opportunity of improvement and growth”.
The Chinese foreign minister, who arrived in Delhi on Monday for the talks, also underlined Beijing’s expectations from the SCO summit.
“The Chinese side attaches great importance to the Prime Minister’s visit to China to attend the SCO summit at our invitation. We believe that the Indian side will also make contribution to a successful summit in Tianjin,” he said.
Wang’s visit is being seen as part of the continuing efforts by India and China to rebuild their relationship, which came under severe strain following the deadly Galwan Valley clashes in 2020.