External affairs minister S. Jaishankar on Monday underlined the need for India and China to adopt a “candid and constructive” approach to rebuild their relationship after years of strain, while meeting Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi in New Delhi.

In his opening remarks, Jaishankar noted that both nations had gone through a difficult phase but now wished to move forward. “This requires us to be guided by three principles – mutual respect, mutual sensitivity and mutual interest,” he said, stressing the importance of advancing the de-escalation process along the Line of Actual Control (LAC).

The two ministers discussed a wide range of issues, including trade and economic cooperation, river data sharing, border trade, connectivity projects, cultural exchanges, pilgrimages, and counter-terrorism efforts. Jaishankar said he would also follow up on “particular concerns” that he had raised with Wang Yi during his July visit to Beijing.

The Chinese minister, on a two-day trip to India, will also meet National Security Adviser Ajit Doval on Tuesday under the Special Representatives mechanism – the highest-level channel to address the long-standing border dispute. This is Wang’s first visit to India since the two countries agreed in October 2024 to end the military standoff that began in 2020 along the LAC, which had plunged ties to their lowest point in decades after the Galwan Valley clash.

Jaishankar stressed that differences should not turn into disputes and competition should not spiral into conflict. He cautioned against restrictive trade practices, referring indirectly to China’s curbs on rare earth mineral exports that have affected global supply chains, including electric vehicle manufacturing.

He also called terrorism a “major priority” and urged both sides to work towards a stable and forward-looking partnership. “India and China share the vision of a fair, balanced and multipolar world order, including a multipolar Asia. Reformed multilateralism is the need of the hour,” Jaishankar said, pointing to the importance of safeguarding stability in the global economy.

Wang Yi, for his part, said that the two nations had developed “shared confidence” that helped strengthen cooperation and rebuild trust. Without naming the US, he warned that unilateralism and protectionism were undermining global free trade and stability. He argued that India and China, as the two largest developing nations with a combined population of 2.8 billion, had a responsibility to safeguard the interests of the Global South and provide certainty to Asia and beyond.

The thaw in ties has already paved the way for the resumption of the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra after five years, reopening of Indian tourist visas for Chinese nationals, and advanced discussions on restarting direct flights and border trade.

Following talks with Doval, Wang Yi is scheduled to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The meeting is significant as Modi is expected to visit China later this month to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit in Tianjin on August 31–September 1, where he is also likely to hold a bilateral meeting with President Xi Jinping.