India and China Boost Ties with SCO Talks
New Delhi: In a move to strengthen their relationship, India and China recently held their first bilateral discussions under the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) on April 16-17. This comes after a positive shift in their ties, marked by efforts to enhance cooperation.
The Ministry of External Affairs reported that both nations discussed the implementation of decisions made by SCO leaders and outlined future goals for the organization. They pledged to continue working closely together within the SCO framework.
Following the resolution of a military standoff in eastern Ladakh in 2024, India and China have been actively collaborating in various multilateral forums, including BRICS and SCO. Last year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi attended the SCO summit in China, and in a show of goodwill, Beijing has supported India’s current presidency in BRICS.
Looking ahead, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi is expected to visit India for the BRICS foreign ministers’ meeting scheduled for May 14-15, while President Xi Jinping may also come to India in September for the summit.
During their recent talks, both delegations met with Secretary (West) Sibi George to review cooperation on key issues like security, trade, connectivity, and cultural exchanges. The two nations committed to continuing these bilateral discussions in the future.
India places great value on its SCO membership, emphasizing the group’s original goal of combating terrorism, extremism, and radicalization. The country views the SCO as vital for regional connectivity, provided that all initiatives respect national sovereignty and territorial integrity. PM Modi highlighted this point last year during his address at the summit in Tianjin, stating that connectivity efforts that ignore sovereignty undermine trust.
