'Never Take Freedom For Granted': Jaishankar Slams Gandhi Family For Emergency
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United News of India
an hour ago
- United News of India
EAM to visit Russia today for talks on strengthening 'Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership'
New Delhi, Aug 19 (UNI) External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar will visit Russia for discussions on further strengthening the '' longstanding and time-tested India-Russia Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership.'' Dr. Jaishankar will co-chair the 26th Session of the India-Russia Inter-Governmental Commission on Trade, Economic, Scientific, Technological and Cultural Cooperation (IRIGC-TEC) tomorrow. He will also address the India-Russia Business Forum meeting in Moscow. ''Dr. Jaishankar will undertake an official visit to Russia on August 19-21 to co-chair the 26th Session of the India-Russia Inter-Governmental Commission on Trade, Economic, Scientific, Technological and Cultural Cooperation (IRIGC-TEC) scheduled for 20 August,'' the External Affairs Ministry said today. During the visit EAM will meet Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and review the bilateral agenda and share perspective on regional and global issues. ''The visit aims to further strengthen the longstanding and time-tested India-Russia Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership,'' the External Affairs Ministry added. The visit, at the invitation of Russia's First Deputy Prime Minister Denis Manturov, comes a day after China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi arrived in India on a three-day official visit and held talks with the External Affairs Minister. UNI RB 0952
News18
2 hours ago
- News18
Three Signals From Wang Yi's Visit And The Trump Factor Reshaping India–China Ties
From border talks to trade assurances, the tone of Wang Yi's India visit points to a cautious but deliberate effort to reset strained ties. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi's visit to India, his first in three years, comes at a crucial juncture. It is taking place just weeks ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's scheduled trip to Tianjin for the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit, his first visit to China in seven years. The timing and tone of the meetings suggest both sides are consciously working to project a shift away from the mistrust that has defined bilateral relations since the 2020 Galwan Valley clashes. In meetings with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, Wang Yi repeatedly struck a conciliatory tone. He called the moment an 'important opportunity of improvement and growth" in ties. He added that a 'healthy and stable China-India relationship serves the fundamental and long-term interests of both of our countries," and emphasised the need to follow 'the strategic guidance of our leaders". Jaishankar, on his part, acknowledged that 'having seen a difficult period in our relationship", both sides now seek to move ahead. His remarks, delivered during Monday's meeting, reflected an effort to lower the temperature in bilateral messaging. 'Differences must not become disputes, nor competition conflict," Jaishankar said. He reiterated that stable and constructive relations between India and China were in the interest not just of both countries, but of the world. While the shift in diplomatic tone is noteworthy, the core friction point remains the border. During his Tuesday meeting with NSA Ajit Doval, held under the 24th round of the Special Representatives (SR) dialogue, Wang Yi reaffirmed China's willingness to stabilise conditions along the Line of Actual Control (LAC). The SR-level talks are the primary mechanism for discussing the boundary issue, and Doval's comments reflected cautious optimism. Doval said the border had been 'quiet" and acknowledged an 'upward trend" in overall ties. He pointed to the gains made after the Kazan meeting, describing them as 'substantial", and praised the 'new environment" for helping both sides resume work across areas previously stalled by tensions. Wang Yi echoed this view, saying that the stability restored at the border was encouraging and that the 23rd round of SR-level talks had already produced 'important consensus" on managing disagreements and advancing toward settlement. He added that both sides had identified specific goals and created a working framework for future consultations. Significantly, the border issue was not discussed during Jaishankar's meeting with Wang, it was deliberately reserved for the Doval–Wang dialogue. This division of responsibility underscored the importance placed on handling the boundary issue at the highest strategic level. Yet the situation on the ground remains complex. Despite progress in disengagement at certain friction points, large troop deployments remain along the 3,488-km LAC. Doval's meeting was expected to focus heavily on de-escalation, not just disengagement, in order to reduce the risk of future confrontations. The long-term goal remains to return troops to their pre-2020 positions, but no breakthrough was announced during this round of talks. Fertilisers, Rare Earths, And Tunnel Machines: New Points of Convergence Beyond border stability, one of the most consequential outcomes of Wang Yi's visit was a renewed push to revive cooperation in emerging and critical sectors. According to NDTV, Wang gave an in-principle assurance to address India's requirements for rare earth materials, fertilisers, and tunnel boring machines (TBMs), a move that marks a significant shift after over a year of export slowdowns and restrictions. Sources told NDTV that Wang gave these assurances directly to Jaishankar, and confirmed that China would resume supplies of these crucial goods. The backdrop here is important: China had curtailed exports of urea, rare earths, and TBMs, all essential for India's agriculture, renewable energy, and infrastructure sectors. According to HT, China supplies nearly 30 per cent of India's fertiliser needs, dominates the rare earth market globally, and is a key supplier of TBMs used in urban and road infrastructure. Rare earths, in particular, are vital for sectors ranging from electronics and renewable energy to medical devices and manufacturing. A report from the State Bank of India notes that India spends around USD 33 million annually on importing rare earths and compounds. China, meanwhile, controls an estimated 60–70 per cent of global rare earth mining. The SBI report further highlights that disruptions in these imports have already impacted critical Indian industries such as basic metals, transport equipment, construction, and electricals. India has officially identified 30 minerals as critical for its economic security, and the restoration of rare earth access from China is being viewed as a major step toward rebuilding disrupted supply chains. The assurances came after Jaishankar raised these issues during his July 2025 visit to China, and followed up again in Delhi this week. The EAM underscored the need to avoid 'restrictive trade measures and roadblocks" and reiterated that relations should be based on mutual respect and mutual interest. He also listed other bilateral areas of cooperation, including pilgrimages, river data sharing, border trade, and people-to-people exchanges. The Trump Factor: A Shared Pushback Against Washington's Trade Offensive Wang Yi's visit, and the language surrounding it, cannot be separated from the broader geopolitical churn. More than six months into Donald Trump's second term, both India and China are facing renewed pressure from his administration's resurgent protectionism. Under Trump 2.0, Washington has revived its tariff-first approach and launched a fresh trade tirade targeting BRICS nations, accusing them of enabling global trade imbalances, weaponising energy partnerships, and undermining US manufacturing interests. Within BRICS, China and India stand out as the two largest economies by far, together accounting for over two-thirds of the group's total GDP. According to April 2025 IMF estimates, China's economy is valued at over USD 17 trillion, while India's GDP stands at approximately USD 4 trillion — significantly ahead of Brazil (USD 2.1 trillion), Russia (USD 1.9 trillion), and South Africa (under USD 400 billion). This economic weight has made both countries high-priority targets in Trump's second-term trade strategy, though the severity of tariffs has varied. Beijing has responded with direct public criticism. Following Wang Yi's meetings in New Delhi, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said 'unilateral bullying is rampant", as reported by Bloomberg. The statement urged that India and China should 'contribute to promoting a multipolar world" and strengthen themselves as responsible powers representing developing nations. The message was unambiguous: Washington's coercive trade moves are seen in Beijing as a shared threat, and New Delhi is being positioned as a potential partner in resisting it. India has taken a more measured tone, but has not held back in calling the tariffs 'unfair, unjustified, and unreasonable." The numbers reinforce that concern. Trump has slapped 50 per cent tariffs on Indian exports, including a punitive 25 per cent surcharge specifically targeting India's continued purchases of Russian oil. These tariffs are scheduled to take effect on August 27 and have reportedly led to the near-collapse of trade negotiations between New Delhi and Washington. China, too, has been targeted, with 30 per cent tariffs imposed on a range of exports under Trump's revived trade war, but has so far avoided additional sanctions despite being the world's largest importer of Russian oil. This disparity has not gone unnoticed in Delhi. As Hindustan Times reported, both Indian and Chinese officials acknowledged during the Jaishankar–Wang meeting that current US policies are targeting both countries, creating what one official described as 'an imperative for the two sides to come closer." While this does not signal a formal shift in alignment, it is clear that shared economic pressure from Washington is accelerating tactical coordination. Conclusion: A Cautious Reset, Nudged By External Pressure India and China are not strategic allies, and deep differences, especially on the border, remain. But Wang Yi's visit, PM Modi's planned trip to China, and the revival of economic cooperation indicate that both sides are cautiously signalling a willingness to move beyond the worst of the Galwan-era rupture. top videos View all For Delhi, securing critical supplies like rare earths and fertilisers is both a tactical necessity and a diplomatic opening. For Beijing, rebuilding ties with India offers a buffer against Western pressure and a chance to reinforce its multipolar world narrative. Donald Trump's trade salvos may not be the official reason for this thaw, but they are undeniably part of the story. In navigating an unpredictable global order, India and China are discovering that, at least for now, selective cooperation may be the path of least resistance. About the Author Karishma Jain Karishma Jain, Chief Sub Editor at writes and edits opinion pieces on a variety of subjects, including Indian politics and policy, culture and the arts, technology and social change. Follow her @ More Click here to add News18 as your preferred news source on Google. Get Latest Updates on Movies, Breaking News On India, World, Live Cricket Scores, And Stock Market Updates. Also Download the News18 App to stay updated! tags : Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi India-China ties view comments Location : New Delhi, India, India First Published: August 19, 2025, 16:34 IST News explainers Three Signals From Wang Yi's Visit And The Trump Factor Reshaping India–China Ties Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Loading comments...
Business Standard
4 hours ago
- Business Standard
Jaishankar, Wang Yi hold wide-ranging talks in New Delhi
Indias External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar on Monday opened a new round of engagement with visiting Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, stressing the need to preserve and enhance stability in the global economy amid a fraught international environment. He framed Indias approach around a fair, balanced, and multipolar world order, calling "reformed multilateralism" the need of the hour. Following their talks in New Delhi, Jaishankar reiterated that combating terrorism in all its forms remains a major priority for India, noting that the country continues to face cross-border terrorism largely sponsored by Pakistan, a close ally of China. The two ministers held comprehensive discussions spanning economic and trade ties, pilgrimages, people-to-people contacts, river data sharing, border trade, connectivity, and broader bilateral exchanges. Setting out guiding principles for the relationship, Jaishankar said India-China ties must be anchored in the "three mutuals" mutual respect, mutual sensitivity, and mutual interest emphasizing that differences must not become disputes, nor competition turn into conflict. On security and the boundary situation, Jaishankar underlined that any positive momentum in bilateral ties depends on the two sides ability to jointly maintain peace and tranquillity in the border areas, and that it is essential for the de-escalation process to move forward. Wang Yi is on a two-day official visit to India and is scheduled to hold the 24th round of the Special Representatives dialogue on the boundary question with National Security Advisor Ajit Doval today, 19 August 2025. Media reports indicate their meeting is expected to cover the boundary situation, trade, and the possible resumption of flight services. Wang is also slated to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi later today. Expressing confidence in the engagement, Jaishankar said the discussions would contribute to building a stable, cooperative, and forward-looking India-China relationship that serves both countries interests while addressing their concerns. The high-level outreach comes ahead of Prime Minister Modi's planned visit to China later this month to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit in Tianjin.
