Rajnath Singh likely to visit China for SCO defence meet, first since Galwan clash

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh is likely to visit Qingdao, China, later this month to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Defence Ministers' meeting. China is hosting the summit this year and has extended an invitation to Singh for the same. This will be Rajnath Singh's first visit to China after the 2020 Galwan clash.The visit would mark the first Indian ministerial-level engagement in China since both countries reached an agreement in October 2024 to resume patrolling and withdraw troops along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh.advertisementIndia and China have been engaging in dialogue to ease tensions along the border and improve bilateral relations. Singh last met China's Defence Minister, Admiral Dong Jun, during the ADMM-Plus summit in Laos, which was their first interaction following the disengagement understanding.
The potential visit comes amid ongoing diplomatic efforts to normalise ties between the two countries. These include possible talks on reviving the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra, re-establishing air connectivity, resuming the exchange of hydrological data, and facilitating visa and people-to-people exchanges.India has also reiterated its support for China's SCO presidency. This was underscored during recent discussions in Delhi between Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri and Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Sun Weidong.Tune InMust Watch
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