India, China Hold Talks On Border Standoff As Chinese Defence Minister Visits Delhi For The First Time Since 2020 Galwan Clash

Earlier today, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh had bilateral talks with his Chinese counterpart Li Shangfu ahead of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) meeting in New Delhi on Friday (28 April).

This is the first visit by a Chinese defence minister to India since the Galwan clashes in Eastern Ladakh in June 2020.

The incident involved aggressive action by China at the Line of Actual Control in Eastern Ladakh, resulting in the loss of 20 Indian soldiers and dozens of soldiers of the People's Liberation Army.

While the then Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi had visited India in 2022 and held talks with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, no high-level Indian official has visited Beijing in recent years.

China's newly appointed Foreign Minister Qin Gang had visited India earlier this year for the G-20 foreign ministers' meeting.

The talks were expected to focus on the ongoing standoff in eastern Ladakh, which has strained ties between the two countries.

The two sides are believed to have discussed the progress of military and diplomatic talks to resolve the standoff along the Line of Actual Control.

The 18th round of India-China Corps Commander Level Meeting was held recently, during which both sides agreed to maintain security and stability in the Western Sector of the LAC.

The military talks on Sunday came after a gap of four months. India has been pushing for the resolution of the standoffs in the Depsang Plains in northeastern Ladakh and Depsang in southeastern Ladakh, which predate the tensions at other friction points, like the north bank of the Pangong Lake, that have been partially resolved.

More details awaited.