Weeks After Border Thaw, Direct Flights Between India-China On Cards

New Delhi: External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi discussed ways to stabilise India-China relations during their meeting at the G20 Summit in Rio de Janeiro on Monday. The two nations are inching closer towards restarting direct flights and reopening the Kailash Mansarovar pilgrimage route, reported PTI. 

This comes just weeks after both sides withdrew troops from two standoff areas in eastern Ladakh. India and China are set to hold talks on resolving their border issues after nearly five years. 

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has highlighted key points from discussions between India and China, signalling the focus on advancing bilateral relations. In a statement, the MEA said, "The discussions focused on the next steps in India-China relations. It was agreed that a meeting of the Special Representatives and of the Foreign Secretary-Vice Minister mechanism will take place soon.”

This was the first time the two foreign ministers convened for a high-level discussion after the completion of the disengagement process in Depsang and Demchok along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh. According to the MEA statement cited by PTI, Jaishankar and Wang Yi recognised the contribution of the disengagement pact in restoring ‘peace’ and ‘tranquility’ along the border. 

"Among the steps discussed were the resumption of the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra pilgrimage, data sharing on trans-border rivers, direct flights between India and China and media exchanges," the MEA said. 

During the meeting, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar told his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi that India opposes unilateral actions aimed at asserting dominance. He also emphasized that India does not assess its bilateral relationships based on its ties with other countries, according to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).