Wed Mar 26 17:35:24 UTC 2025: ## India and China Agree to Rebuild Ties, Resume People-to-People Exchanges

**Beijing, March 26, 2025** – India and China have taken significant steps towards repairing their strained relationship, agreeing to bolster people-to-people exchanges and resume key dialogue mechanisms. This follows a meeting in Beijing between Gourangalal Das, Joint Secretary in India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) East Asia division, and Liu Jinsong, Director-General at the Chinese Foreign Ministry’s Department of Asian Affairs.

The two sides pledged to resume direct flights and the Kailash Manasarovar Yatra pilgrimage this year. They also committed to a phased resumption of dialogue mechanisms to address mutual concerns and establish a more stable bilateral relationship.

The MEA highlighted positive developments since the October 2024 meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping, including two meetings between Foreign Ministers and the 23rd meeting of Special Representatives on the India-China boundary question. These high-level engagements, the MEA stated, have provided crucial guidance in stabilizing and improving relations.

The agreement builds upon previous efforts, including a January 2025 visit by Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri to Beijing, where similar commitments were made. The recent talks also followed a Tuesday meeting of the Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination (WMCC), focusing on border management and cross-border cooperation.

While the relationship remains delicate following the 2020 Galwan Valley clashes, this latest development signals a renewed commitment from both nations to improve ties through increased people-to-people contact and the resumption of vital dialogue channels. The focus on practical steps like resuming the Kailash Manasarovar Yatra underscores a pragmatic approach to rebuilding trust and fostering a more predictable relationship.

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