India’s Foreign Secretary, Vikram Misri, arrived in China on Sunday for a two-day visit to resume diplomatic talks between the two nations. It is the second high-profile Indian visit to China within six weeks, as both countries seek to stabilize relations after years of tension.
Amb. Misri, former Ambassador to China, is making the visit on the eve of China’s Spring Festival, which falls on January 29. His visit comes after more than four years of frosty relations, given the recent thaw in relations after the Ladakh military standoff. The Ministry of External Affairs said Misri would also attend a meeting of the Foreign Secretary-Vice Minister mechanism between India and China, agreed upon during the high-level interactions between the two countries.
The visit has been seen as a continuation of the leadership-level discussions initiated during October, where Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping met on the sidelines of the BRICS summit. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning expressed hope about the visit, stating it followed several high-level meetings for improving bilateral ties.
Issues to be discussed in the talks include de-escalation of tensions along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Ladakh, resumption of the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra, and restoration of direct flights and visa issuance. Both sides will also focus on strengthening cooperation in areas like border trade and regional stability.
Misri’s visit follows the recent meeting between National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in December, which also yielded positive results. As ties between India and China continue to improve, both sides remain focused on fostering peace and stability in the border regions.