The meeting marked a significant step towards improving bilateral relations, with both sides agreeing to utilise dialogue mechanisms to address priority areas of interest and concern

India and China held a consultative meeting in Beijing today, discussing ways to resume their stalled dialogue mechanism and address each other’s concerns. The meeting marked a significant step towards improving bilateral relations, with both sides agreeing to utilise dialogue mechanisms to address priority areas of interest and concern.

Gourangalal Das, Joint Secretary (East Asia) led the Indian delegation while Liu Jinsong, Director General of the Department of Asian Affairs of the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs led his country at the talks.

According to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), the two sides reviewed the action taken to implement strategic direction and specific steps agreed upon in previous meetings. They also discussed resuming people-to-people exchanges, including direct flights, media interactions, and think-tank engagements.

The MEA noted that the two sides agreed to continue efforts to facilitate and promote people-to-people exchanges, including arrangements for resuming direct flights and celebrating the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations.

Progress was also made on modalities to resume Kailash Mansarovar Yatra this year, which was suspended in 2020. The MEA stated that the two sides recognise the significance of 2025, being the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations, and plan to utilise it to redouble public diplomacy efforts and restore mutual trust and confidence.

They took positive note of the developments in bilateral relations since Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping met on sidelines of the BRICS at Kazan, Russia, in October last year.

In the intervening period, the foreign ministers of the two countries have met twice, while the Special Representatives on the India-China boundary question have held their 23rd meeting.