Top diplomats from India and China met in Beijing on Thursday to reaffirm their commitment to implementing the consensus reached by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Xi Jinping during last year’s summit in Russia. This marks the first formal diplomatic engagement following India’s Operation Sindoor, launched in response to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack.

Indian Ambassador Pradeep Kumar Rawat held talks with Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Sun Weidong, with both sides agreeing to enhance cultural exchanges, boost economic cooperation, and manage differences constructively. The Chinese Foreign Ministry described the meeting as a positive step toward steering bilateral ties on a “healthy and stable track.”

Sun, who previously served as China’s Ambassador to India and currently handles South Asia affairs, emphasized mutual respect and practical cooperation. The meeting also addressed preparations to resume the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra after a four-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the military standoff in eastern Ladakh.

The pilgrimage, scheduled from June to August, will proceed via the Lipulekh Pass in Uttarakhand and Nathu La in Sikkim. Its resumption is seen as a confidence-building measure following the complete disengagement of troops at Demchok and Depsang under an October 2024 agreement.

India’s concerns over China’s growing export controls on rare earth metals were also raised. With China controlling 92% of global rare earth processing, the issue holds strategic significance, particularly for India’s technology and defense sectors.

The Rawat-Sun dialogue follows rising regional tensions after India’s cross-border operations targeting terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. With both countries recalibrating ties amidst geopolitical flux, the meeting suggests a cautious but deliberate push to re-engage diplomatically and stabilize relations.

Top diplomats from India and China met in Beijing on Thursday to reaffirm their commitment to implementing the consensus reached by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Xi Jinping during last year’s summit in Russia. This marks the first formal diplomatic engagement following India’s Operation Sindoor, launched in response to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack.

Indian Ambassador Pradeep Kumar Rawat held talks with Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Sun Weidong, with both sides agreeing to enhance cultural exchanges, boost economic cooperation, and manage differences constructively. The Chinese Foreign Ministry described the meeting as a positive step toward steering bilateral ties on a “healthy and stable track.”

Sun, who previously served as China’s Ambassador to India and currently handles South Asia affairs, emphasized mutual respect and practical cooperation. The meeting also addressed preparations to resume the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra after a four-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the military standoff in eastern Ladakh.

The pilgrimage, scheduled from June to August, will proceed via the Lipulekh Pass in Uttarakhand and Nathu La in Sikkim. Its resumption is seen as a confidence-building measure following the complete disengagement of troops at Demchok and Depsang under an October 2024 agreement.

India’s concerns over China’s growing export controls on rare earth metals were also raised. With China controlling 92% of global rare earth processing, the issue holds strategic significance, particularly for India’s technology and defense sectors.

The Rawat-Sun dialogue follows rising regional tensions after India’s cross-border operations targeting terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. With both countries recalibrating ties amidst geopolitical flux, the meeting suggests a cautious but deliberate push to re-engage diplomatically and stabilize relations.