Defence Minister Rajnath Singh is expected to travel to Qingdao, China, later this month to participate in the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Defence Ministers’ meeting. China, which holds the presidency of the SCO this year, has formally extended an invitation to Singh for the summit.
If the visit goes ahead, it would mark Rajnath Singh’s first trip to China since the deadly Galwan Valley clash in 2020. More significantly, it would be the first high-level Indian ministerial visit to China since the two countries reached a key border agreement in October 2024. That agreement included terms for the resumption of patrolling and phased troop withdrawal along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh, where tensions had remained high for years.
India and China have continued diplomatic and military dialogues aimed at reducing tensions and rebuilding bilateral ties. Singh had last interacted with China’s Defence Minister, Admiral Dong Jun, at the ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting Plus (ADMM-Plus) held in Laos. That meeting marked their first formal exchange since the disengagement agreement between the two countries.
Also Read: India clarifies stance as SCO slams Israeli strikes on Iran
The anticipated visit by the Indian Defence Minister also comes as part of a broader diplomatic push by both sides to normalise relations. Discussions have included proposals to revive the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra, re-establish direct air connectivity, restart the sharing of hydrological data, and resume people-to-people exchanges and visa facilitation.
India has also publicly reaffirmed its support for China’s leadership of the SCO. This was reiterated during recent bilateral talks in New Delhi between Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri and Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Sun Weidong, where both sides stressed the importance of dialogue and cooperation under the SCO framework.
Also Read: India's defence sector transformed to global exporter: Rajnath
Follow us
