India’s Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and China’s State Councillor and Minister of National Defence General Li Shangfu met at the Shanghai Cooperation Organization’s (SCO) defence ministers’ meet held in New Delhi on Wednesday, April 27th.
This is the maiden India visit of the Chinese defence minister since the 2020 Galwan clash between the Indian Army and the Chinese People’s Liberation Army. Singh and Li’s meeting reportedly discussed the de-escalation of tension in the borders, especially the Line of Actual Control (LAC) and restoring normalcy.
A statement from the Indian Ministry of Defence stated that in the meeting, Singh categorically told Li that the “development of relations between India and China is premised on prevalence of peace and tranquillity at the borders. He added that all issues at the LAC need to be resolved in accordance with existing bilateral agreements and commitments (sic).”
The statement also stated that Singh reiterated that “violation of existing agreements has eroded the entire basis of bilateral relations and disengagement at the border will logically be followed with de-escalation.”
The Chinese Ministry of Defense didn’t publish any report on the meeting and didn’t disclose what message General Li conveyed to his Indian counterpart.
China-India relations deteriorated following the 2020 clash. However, the bilateral trade relations improved manifold even after the conflict and escalation of tension at the LAC. In the year 2022, China-India bilateral trade reached a record peak.
Chinese Defence Minister General Li has arrived in India to attend the Defence Ministers’ Meeting of SCO which is being held in New Delhi on April 27th and 28th. Incidentally, a few weeks before the meeting between Singh and Li, the 18th Corps Commander-level meeting of the Indian Army and the Chinese People’s Liberation Army took place in Moldo, on the Chinese side of eastern Ladakh, to resolve the border standoff and for restoration of normalcy.
