Rajnath Singh To Visit China On 24-25 June For SCO Meet, First Indian Ministerial Visit Since 2020 Ladakh Standoff: Report

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will travel to China on 24 and 25 June, marking the first high-level Indian ministerial visit since the 2020 border standoff in Eastern Ladakh, reported The New Indian Express.

This visit signals renewed momentum in India-China engagement as both nations work to stabilise relations and rebuild trust.

Singh will participate in the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) defence ministers’ meeting.

During this meeting, he may hold talks with Chinese defence minister Admiral Dong Jun.

Singh last met Admiral Dong in Vientiane, Lao PDR, last November at the ASEAN Defence Ministers’ meet.

This will be Singh’s first visit to China as defence minister as he previously traveled there as home minister.

Singh’s visit reflects the commitment of both countries to advance the understanding reached between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping in October last year, aimed at improving bilateral ties.

On Thursday (12 June), Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri met with Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Sun Weidong in New Delhi.

The two officials assessed the progress in bilateral relations since their January meeting and agreed to focus on “people-centric engagements,” according to the Ministry of External Affairs.