- Rajnath Singh stresses on maintaining peace & tranquility along the Indo-China border and solving issues through a structured roadmap of permanent engagement & de-escalation
- Bats for a permanent solution of border demarcation by rejuvenating the established mechanism
- Need to create good neighbourly conditions to achieve best mutual benefits and cooperate for stability in Asia & the world: DM
- The Defence Minister expresses happiness at the resumption of the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra
NE NEWS SERVICE
QINGDAO, CHINA, JUNE 27
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh held a bilateral meeting with his Chinese counterpart Admiral Dong Jun on the sidelines of Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Defence Ministers’ meeting in Qingdao, China on Thursday. The two Ministers held in-depth discussions on the need to maintain peace and tranquility along the Indo-China border.
Sharing details about the meeting, Singh posted on his X handle that it is incumbent on the two nations to maintain positive momentum and avoid adding new complexities in bilateral ties. He said that he and General Don Jun had “constructive and forward-looking exchange of views” on issues related to bilateral ties.
“Held talks with Admiral Don Jun, the Defence Minister of China, on the sidelines of SCO Defence Minitsers’ Meeting in Qingdao.” “We had a constructive and forward-looking exchange of views on issues pertaining to bilateral relations. Expressed my happiness on restarting of the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra after a gap of nearly six years. It is incumbent on both the sides to maintain this positive momentum and avoid adding new complexities in the bilateral relationship,” wrote Singh on X handle.
Rajnath Singh acknowledged the work being undertaken by both sides to bring back semblance of normalcy in the bilateral relations. He highlighted the necessity of solving the complex issues through a structured roadmap of permanent engagement and de-escalation.
Rajnath Singh also stressed on border management and to have a permanent solution of border demarcation by rejuvenating the established mechanism on the issue. He emphasised the need to create good neighbourly conditions to achieve best mutual benefits as well as to cooperate for stability in Asia and the world. He also called for bridging the trust deficit created after 2020 Border standoff, by taking action on ground.
The two Ministers agreed to continue consultations at various levels to achieve progress on issues related to disengagement, de-escalation, border management and eventual de-limitation through existing mechanisms.
Rajnath Singh highlighted the important milestone of reaching 75 years of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries. He also appreciated the resumption of Kailash Manasarovar yatra after a gap of five years.
Rajnath Singh also briefed his counterpart on the heinous terrorist attack carried out against innocent civilians in Pahalgam, Jammu & Kashmir on April 22, 2025, and India’s Operation Sindoor aimed at dismantling the terrorist networks in Pakistan.
On Thursday, India refused to endorse the joint declaration at the SCO Defence Ministers’ meeting, citing the exclusion of concerns around terrorism as a key reason. India stated that it wanted concerns about terrorism reflected in the document, which was not acceptable to one particular country; therefore, the statement was not adopted.
“I understand that they (Defence Ministers) could not adopt a joint statement. I also understand that certain member countries could not reach consensus on certain issues, and hence the document could not be finalised. On our side, India wanted concerns on terrorism reflected in the document, which was not acceptable to one particular country and therefore the statement was not adopted,” Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal told reporters at a weekly media briefing on Thursday.
During his address to the SCO gathering, Defence Minister Singh referred to the heinous April 22 Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 civilians, including a Nepali national, saying that India exercised its right to self-defence through Operation Sindoor to dismantle cross-border terror infrastructure.
He also urged the SCO nations to reject double standards and hold terror sponsors accountable.
