India-China Relations ‘Much Better Than Before’: EAM Jaishankar
New Delhi, April 9: External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar on Wednesday said that India’s relationship with China has seen significant improvement in recent times, especially in the context of border disengagement and post-COVID-19 cooperation.
Speaking at Summit 2025, Jaishankar noted that the two countries are now engaging on multiple fronts, including the resumption of direct flights and the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra, which had been suspended during the pandemic.
“The relationship is much better than before,” Jaishankar said, highlighting the progress made on critical border issues. “I think the disengagement, particularly at Depsang and Demchok, was important,” he added, referring to key friction points along the Line of Actual Control (LAC).
Jaishankar acknowledged that the border tensions and force build-up had been ongoing for several years, and that the current diplomatic efforts are aimed at addressing both longstanding and pandemic-era challenges.
“We are now addressing, to some extent, the issues on the border because there has been a force build-up over a period of years,” he said. “Some of it was collateral for the situation, and some of it was a carryover from the COVID era.”
He further noted that India-China relations between 2020 and 2024 were strained, which was not beneficial for either side. “Direct flights were halted during COVID and haven’t resumed. The Kailash Mansarovar Yatra also stopped and hasn’t restarted. These are areas we are now actively working on.”
Jaishankar emphasized that both countries now recognize that the situation during those years was not in mutual interest. “We are moving in a positive direction,” he said.
Earlier in October 2024, India and China reached an understanding on patrolling arrangements in the Depsang Plains and Demchok, marking a significant step in resolving ongoing border tensions. This followed earlier disengagement agreements at other friction points in eastern Ladakh.
The development came after a meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping in Kazan on the sidelines of the 16th BRICS Summit. During the meeting, PM Modi welcomed the agreement on disengagement and underscored the need for properly managing bilateral differences without letting them affect peace and stability along the border.
