Jaishankar Meets Xi Jinping, Discusses Bilateral Ties at SCO Meet
On July 15, 2025, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar met Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing during the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Foreign Ministers’ Meet, marking a significant diplomatic engagement. This meeting, the first since the deadly Galwan Valley clash in 2020, signals a cautious step toward normalizing India-China relations amid lingering border tensions and evolving global dynamics.
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A Historic Encounter
Jaishankar’s visit to China, his first in five years, comes on the heels of recent high-level exchanges, including visits by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and National Security Advisor Ajit Doval in June 2025 for SCO-related discussions. The meeting with Xi took place alongside other SCO foreign ministers, with Jaishankar conveying greetings from President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He briefed Xi on the recent developments in bilateral ties, emphasizing the guidance of their leaders in steering the relationship forward.
This encounter follows a pivotal moment last October in Kazan, Russia, where Modi and Xi briefly discussed reviving dormant dialogue channels, including the Special Representatives (SR) mechanism to address the decades-old boundary dispute. The Galwan clash, which claimed lives on both sides, had plunged ties to a historic low, making this meeting a notable milestone.
Key Discussion Points
The dialogue covered a range of issues critical to India-China relations. Jaishankar highlighted the need for mutual respect, mutual interest, and mutual sensitivity as the foundation for stable ties. He stressed addressing border-related aspects, including de-escalation, and normalizing people-to-people exchanges, such as the resumed Kailash Mansarovar Yatra. Trade concerns also surfaced, with Jaishankar cautioning against restrictive measures like China’s export curbs on critical minerals, which could impact India’s manufacturing sector.
Both sides acknowledged the positive trajectory since the Kazan meeting, with Jaishankar urging a “far-seeing approach” to ensure differences do not escalate into disputes or competition into conflict. The SCO’s mandate to combat terrorism, separatism, and extremism was also raised, reflecting India’s push for regional security cooperation.
The SCO Context
Held in Beijing, the SCO Foreign Ministers’ Meet provided a multilateral platform for this bilateral engagement. Jaishankar expressed India’s support for China’s SCO presidency, signaling a willingness to collaborate on regional stability. His meetings with Chinese Vice President Han Zheng and Foreign Minister Wang Yi earlier in the visit reinforced this intent, with discussions focusing on open dialogue and mutually beneficial outcomes.
The SCO framework, which includes India, China, Russia, and Central Asian states, offers a neutral ground to address contentious issues. However, the meeting’s timing—amid ongoing border disengagement efforts and a complex global landscape—underscores the delicate balance both nations seek to maintain.
Implications and Challenges
This meeting suggests a thaw in India-China relations, with practical steps like resuming direct air services and sharing hydrological data on trans-border rivers indicating progress. Yet, challenges remain, including unresolved border tensions and trade imbalances. The planned visit by Wang Yi to India next month for SR talks hints at a structured approach to the boundary dispute, but skepticism persists given past standoffs.
For India, the engagement aligns with its strategy to leverage multilateral forums like the SCO while safeguarding its interests. For China, it reflects a pragmatic effort to stabilize ties with a rising India, especially as both nations navigate their roles as major global economies. The international community will watch closely, as stable India-China relations could influence Asia’s geopolitical landscape.
Conclusion
Jaishankar’s meeting with Xi Jinping at the SCO Meet on July 15, 2025, marks a tentative but significant step toward mending India-China ties. While the discussions signal hope for cooperation on trade, borders, and regional security, the road ahead requires sustained effort to translate intent into action. As both nations balance competition with collaboration, this encounter sets the stage for a critical phase in their bilateral relationship, with implications far beyond their borders.
