New Delhi: Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi is set to commence a two-day visit to India on Monday, where he will engage in pivotal bilateral talks with External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar.

This visit gains added significance given the rising tensions in India-US relations, particularly after President Donald Trump increased tariffs on Indian goods to 50 per cent, including an additional 25 per cent penalty related to purchasing Russian oil.

During his visit, Wang Yi and Indian officials are expected to explore new confidence-building measures aimed at achieving lasting peace and stability along the disputed border. This visit precedes Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s scheduled trip to China later this month.

Wang Yi’s visit is seen as part of ongoing efforts by India and China to mend relations following the severe strain caused by the deadly Galwan Valley clash in 2020. A key focus of the visit will be a fresh round of Special Representatives (SR) dialogue on the boundary issue between Wang Yi and National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, who are the designated special representatives for these talks.

Arriving in New Delhi around 4:15 p.m. on Monday, Wang Yi will meet EAM Jaishankar at 6 p.m. for bilateral discussions. The following morning at 11 a.m., he is scheduled to hold the SR dialogue with NSA Doval.

In these discussions, the two sides are likely to address key issues such as the border situation, trade relations, and the revival of flight services between the countries. Later on Tuesday at 5:30 p.m., Wang Yi will call on Prime Minister Modi at his residence.

The timing of these talks is critical, coming just days before Prime Minister Modi’s planned visit to China for the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) annual summit. Despite disengagement of troops from several friction points, frontline forces remain stationed along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh, with both countries maintaining about 50,000 to 60,000 troops.

PM Modi’s itinerary includes a visit to Japan around August 29 before heading to Tianjin, China, to attend the SCO summit.

Last December, NSA Doval travelled to China to hold the SR talks with Wang Yi after Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping agreed to revive dialogue mechanisms during their meeting in Kazan, Russia.

The military standoff in eastern Ladakh, which began in May 2020, along with the Galwan Valley clashes in June 2020, has severely impacted bilateral ties. The decision to renew dialogue channels was made during Modi and Xi’s October 23, 2024, meeting in Kazan.

Efforts to rebuild ties include the resumption of the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra and New Delhi restarting tourist visa issuance for Chinese nationals. Both nations are also discussing restarting direct flight services, which have been suspended since the COVID-19 pandemic and the border tensions.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and EAM Jaishankar have recently visited China to attend the SCO meetings in the past two months, reflecting ongoing diplomatic engagements.

With inputs from IANS