Indian envoy to China meets top Chinese foreign ministry official, discuss bilateral ties
The meeting between Indian Ambassador to China
Pradeep Kumar Rawat
and China's Vice Foreign Minister
Sun Weidong
on Thursday is the first diplomatic engagement between the two countries post the
Operation Sindoor
.
Both sides expressed their willingness to work together to earnestly implement the important consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries, the Chinese Foreign Ministry statement said.
The two sides are also working out ways to promote cultural exchanges and mutually beneficial cooperation, properly manage differences, and promote the development of China-India relations along a healthy and stable track, it said.
The two sides also exchanged views on the issues of common concern, the statement added.
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Sun is the former Chinese Ambassador to India and currently Chinese Foreign Ministry's pointsman on South Asia.
Thursday's meeting also took place as the two countries are finalising preparations to resume the Kailash Manasarovar Yatra in Tibet for the Indian pilgrims.
The Yatra, when it starts, would be the first among the steps being initiated by the two countries after normalising the relations after over four-year long military standoff in eastern Ladakh, which had brought the ties to a standstill.
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) announced on April 26 that the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra is set to take place from June to August via two routes -- Lipulekh Pass in Uttarakhand and Nathu La in Sikkim.
The Yatra was suspended initially in 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequently because of the military standoff in eastern Ladakh.
Following complete disengagement of troops at Demchok and Depsang under a pact sealed in October last year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping during their meeting at Russia's Kazan agreed to revive various bilateral dialogue mechanisms.
The two sides then held a series of meetings in the last few months aimed at normalising the bilateral relations.
Earlier, Rawat and Sun had met on April 9 and exchanged views on bilateral ties and cooperation in various fields.
Thursday's meeting between the two diplomats comes amid Operation Sindoor that India launched in response to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack that saw 26 people dead.
Tensions between India and Pakistan, Beijing's all-weather ally, escalated after the Pahalgam terror attack, with India carrying out precision strikes on terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir in the early hours of May 7.
The four days of on-ground hostilities from both sides ended with an understanding of stopping the military actions following talks between the directors general of military operations of both sides on May 10.
The Rawat-Sun meeting also took place amid growing concerns in India over China's export controls on the rare earth metals.
According to the International Energy Agency, currently China accounts for 61 per cent of global mined rare earth production, but controls 92 per cent of the global output.
Rare earths are a group of metals consisting of 17 elements.
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Objectively, the ECI's actions align with global best practices for electoral hygiene. Countries like the United States and the United Kingdom periodically purge rolls to combat fraud, though with safeguards against voter suppression. In India, the ECI's recent delisting of 334 Registered Unrecognized Political Parties (RUPPs) as part of broader clean-up efforts reflects a proactive stance against electoral malpractices. However, implementation on the ground matters. House-to-house surveys, while thorough, can be susceptible to human error or bias in a polarized environment. Enhancing digital tools, such as the Voter Helpline app, could mitigate this, allowing self-verification and reducing dependency on enumerators. The Supreme Court's observations in related matters offer valuable guidance. In the ADR vs. ECI case on electronic voting machines, the court cautioned against 'blind distrust' that breeds scepticism, urging evidence-based reforms and trust-building through dialogue and transparency. As echoed in Paragraph 37 of that judgment, democracy thrives on harmony among citizens, judiciary, representatives, and electoral bodies. Para 38 expresses hope that the system will reflect the electorate's true mandate. These principles apply aptly here: while the ECI's authority to decide the timing and mode of SIR is exclusive, fostering public confidence requires proactive disclosure and inclusive outreach. Bihar's SIR embodies the delicate balance between electoral purity and inclusivity. Legally sound and procedurally robust, it addresses long-standing flaws in voter lists, yet its success hinges on equitable execution. As petitions unfold in the Supreme Court, stakeholders must prioritize evidence over rhetoric. A transparent, participatory process will not only fortify Bihar's upcoming polls but also reinforce India's democratic resilience. By embracing continuous improvement, as the apex court advocates, we can ensure every eligible voice is heard, unmarred by doubt or exclusion. (The writer is a senior Advocate)
