India-China Relations Gain Momentum as Ties Improve, Says EAM Jaishankar
By Sitaram Mewati
India-China relations are better today compared with the previous two years, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar said during a conversation hosted by the Asia Society in New York on September 28.
Responding to a question on the improvement in bilateral relations, Jaishankar said, “Compared to where you were in 2025, is the relationship better today? I would say yes. Compared to 2024, even more so.”
He said the improvement followed the stabilisation of the situation along the India-China border after the prolonged standoff that had affected bilateral relations. Jaishankar noted that the situation had impacted normal contacts between the two countries, including official exchanges, visas and flights, while trade continued.
The External Affairs Minister said India had consistently maintained that a prolonged border standoff and a decline in bilateral relations did not serve the interests of either country. He indicated that progress on the border was important for restoring broader normalcy in the relationship.
“As the border comes back more towards normalcy, the relationship comes back more towards normalcy,” Jaishankar said.
His remarks come amid renewed high-level engagement between New Delhi and Beijing. Recent diplomatic exchanges have included discussions between senior officials of the two countries, alongside greater attention to restoring regular bilateral contacts.
Jaishankar’s comments also follow Chinese President Xi Jinping’s recent visit to India for the BRICS Leaders’ Summit in New Delhi, which provided an opportunity for engagement between the leaderships of the two countries.
The External Affairs Minister’s assessment points to an improvement in India-China relations compared with the period following the 2020 border standoff, while making clear that continued stability along the border remains an important element in the process of normalising ties.
