Weeks after disengaging troops at Depsang and Demchok along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh, India and China have discussed several issues aimed at improving bilateral relations. External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi met on the sidelines of the G20 Leaders’ Summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on Monday night. Their talks focused on enhancing ties through various initiatives, including the resumption of the Kailash Mansarovar pilgrimage, which was last conducted in 2019, as well as improving the sharing of data on trans-border rivers.
The two ministers also addressed the possibility of restarting direct flights between India and China, which were suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic. They agreed to convene a meeting of the Special Representatives — India’s National Security Adviser Ajit Doval and Wang Yi — on the boundary issue, marking the first such meeting in five years. In addition, talks will take place between the Foreign Secretaries of both nations.
Another important point of discussion was the sharing of data on trans-border rivers, such as the Tsangpo (Brahmaputra), Indus, and Sutlej, which originate in Tibet and flow into India. India has long sought better data-sharing agreements regarding these rivers to address concerns over water security.
The meeting between Jaishankar and Wang Yi is the first high-level engagement between the two sides since the disengagement process at the two friction points along the LAC. According to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), both ministers emphasized the importance of stabilizing bilateral relations, managing differences, and taking concrete steps toward cooperation.
