S Jaishankar to Visit China for SCO Foreign Ministers’ Meet on July 15

External Affairs Minister Dr. S Jaishankar will travel to Tianjin, China, to attend the Meeting of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), scheduled for July 15, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson announced on Saturday.

The visit, confirmed by China's official statement, comes amid an ongoing normalisation process between India and China following a prolonged military standoff along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh since 2020.

At the invitation of Wang Yi, Member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China and China's Foreign Minister, foreign ministers from SCO member states as well as heads of the bloc’s permanent bodies will be present at the meeting. The ministers are expected to exchange views on deepening cooperation among SCO nations and deliberate on key international and regional issues.

The SCO currently comprises 10 member states: China, Russia, India, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, and Belarus.

Key Agenda Items

The meeting is expected to discuss a wide range of subjects, including trade, security, regional stability, and critical resource access. Of particular interest to India are China’s recent restrictions on the export of rare earth metals—key raw materials for industries such as automobile manufacturing and electronics.

Dr. Jaishankar's visit marks his first to China since the 2020 Galwan Valley clash that severely strained bilateral ties. The visit is seen as a significant step toward dialogue and normalisation between the two Asian giants.

Earlier reports suggested that Jaishankar would also hold bilateral talks in Beijing on July 13 with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, ahead of the formal SCO gathering.

Backdrop of the Visit

This high-level diplomatic engagement follows recent visits by India’s Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and National Security Advisor Ajit Doval to China. Defence Minister Singh attended the SCO Defence Ministers' Meeting in Qingdao in June and held bilateral discussions with his Chinese counterpart, General Dong Jun, on June 26.

During that interaction, Singh proposed the creation of a structured roadmap to resolve outstanding issues, reduce tensions along the LAC, and revive mechanisms for border demarcation.

The military face-off between India and China began in May 2020, culminating in a deadly clash in the Galwan Valley in June that year. Relations have remained tense since, although both countries reached an agreement in October 2023 to complete disengagement at the final friction points in Demchok and Depsang.

Looking Ahead

As China chairs the SCO this year, it has taken on the responsibility of hosting key meetings. The upcoming foreign ministers' meet is seen as a critical platform for fostering regional cooperation and easing geopolitical tensions, particularly between India and China.

The outcome of the talks could pave the way for further progress in normalising India-China ties, as both nations seek to stabilise their relationship while continuing to engage within multilateral frameworks like the SCO.

Also Read: Rajnath Singh, Chinese Defence Minister Hold Talks at SCO Meet