Defence Minister Rajnath Singh is expected to travel to Qingdao, China, later this month to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Defence Ministers’ meeting, scheduled for June 24 and 25. The visit would be Singh’s first to China since the 2020 Galwan Valley clash, which marked a significant downturn in India-China relations.
China, which holds the rotating presidency of the SCO this year, has formally invited Singh to the summit. This potential visit would also mark the first high-level Indian ministerial visit to China since the two countries reached an agreement in October 2024 to resume patrolling and gradually withdraw troops along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh.
Singh is likely to hold a bilateral meeting with his Chinese counterpart Admiral Dong Jun on the sidelines of the SCO summit. The two last met during the ADMM-Plus summit in Laos, shortly after the disengagement understanding between their militaries.
Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif is also expected to attend the summit, which comes in the wake of cross-border hostilities between India and Pakistan earlier in May. Both India and Pakistan became full members of the SCO in 2017, joining other members including China, Russia, Iran, Belarus and Central Asian nations.
Singh’s visit comes amid renewed diplomatic efforts to stabilise ties between New Delhi and Beijing. These include discussions on reviving the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra, restoring air connectivity, sharing hydrological data and enhancing visa and cultural exchanges.
India has also reiterated its support for China’s SCO presidency. This was reflected during recent discussions in New Delhi between Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri and Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Sun Weidong, where both sides emphasised the importance of continued dialogue and cooperation.