Defence Minister Rajnath Singh is expected to meet his Chinese counterpart Dong Jun next week, in what could be the first interaction at the ministerial level between the two nations after the Line of Actual Control (LAC) disengagement at eastern Lakakh. The meeting will take place on the sidelines of the ASEAN Defence Ministers Plus (ADMM-Plus).
Earlier this month, India and China conducted a joint patrol at the friction points of Demchok and Depsang in eastern Ladakh, following a recent troop disengagement in the area. Both sides have agreed to a weekly coordinated patrol to manage tensions that have simmered since the 2020 clash in the Galwan Valley.
India, on October 21, announced that it reached an agreement with China on patrolling along the LAC, marking a breakthrough in ending the over four-year-long military standoff, which began following the deadly clashes between the troops of both countries in June 2020 in Galwan.
The ADMM-Plus is an annual meeting that will see participation from defence ministers of eight nations, including Australia, China, India, Japan, New Zealand, South Korea, Russia, and the United States.
The last meeting between Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and his Chinese counterpart took place in April 2023 in India. Then Chinese Defence Minister Li Shangfu travelled to Delhi for the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation's defence ministers’ meeting. The border issue was the main focus of the meeting.
Before the 2023 meeting, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh met with then Chinese Defence Minister General Wei Fenghe in Moscow during the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation meeting in 2020. This meeting occurred months after the deadly clashes in Galwan, Eastern Ladakh, in June of that year, which left 20 Indian and four Chinese soldiers dead.
The upcoming talks in Laos are expected to witness discussions related to regional stability and border issues, building on the framework established by the LAC agreement.
As both nations navigate a complex bilateral relationship marked by border tensions and diplomatic negotiations, the meeting between Rajnath Singh and Dong Jun could play a crucial role in maintaining dialogue and promoting mutual understanding.
Earlier last month, Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Chinese President Xi Jinping in Russia on the sidelines of the BRICS summit just after the LAC agreement was signed.
