New Delhi: India’s diplomatic calendar has brought two important relationships to the fore at the same time. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar is in Moscow, where he met Russian President Vladimir Putin, while National Security Adviser Ajit Doval is in Beijing for talks with Chinese officials on the boundary issue.
Doval’s China visit is part of the structured dialogue between the two countries on the boundary dispute. He is scheduled to hold talks with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, who is his Chinese counterpart in the Special Representatives’ mechanism. A visit by Xi would also provide a possible setting for a meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The two leaders have met in recent years at international and multilateral gatherings, and a meeting in New Delhi could give India and China an opportunity to directly discuss their bilateral relationship. Putin met Jaishankar, and the two leaders talked about progress in bilateral trade and cooperation in other areas. He pointed to cooperation across almost all areas, including ties between the two governments, parliaments and businesses. Jaishankar conveyed PM Modi’s message and greetings to him.
The talks come at a time when India-China diplomatic contacts have increased after years of tension following the 2020 Galwan Valley clash. The NSA’s visit has become significant after it was reported that Chinese President Xi Jinping could travel to New Delhi for the BRICS summit scheduled for September 12 and 13.
The Russian president said, “I am pleased to see that our trade is growing this year. He also said Jaishankar’s visit showed the level of relations that India and Russia have built over several decades. He also said the prime minister was looking forward to meeting the Russian president at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit and welcoming him to India for the BRICS summit.
Last year, there was a slight decline, but this year it is growing.
The coming weeks could bring more high-level meetings. Putin is expected to attend the BRICS summit in India, while Xi’s participation is still awaiting official confirmation. With Doval in Beijing and Jaishankar in Moscow at the same time, India is using direct diplomacy to manage two relationships that have implications for its security, trade and foreign policy.
