India’s Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri has wound up his two-day visit to China with agreement on resumption of the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra in the coming summer. The Ministry of External Affairs in a readout said modalities for resumption will be decided on the basis of existing agreements.
The yatra had been suspended in 2020 due to Covid and never resumed since China did not renew the arrangements for the pilgrims.
The two sides also agreed for an early meeting of the India China Expert Level Mechanism that will see resumption of the supply of hydrological data on transboundary rivers.
There was in principle agreement on the resumption of direct air services and the technical authorities will meet at an early date to work this out.
“The two sides will undertake a number of commemorative activities to mark the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between India and China,” the Indian readout said, and urged redoubled public diplomacy to create better awareness of each other and restore mutual trust and confidence among the public.
“Specific concerns in the economic and trade areas were discussed with a view to resolving these issues and promoting long term policy transparency and predictability,” the readout said.
There was also reference for more people to people exchanges and also at the level of media and think tanks.
The Chinese readout made no mention of the Mansarovar yatra, or the exchange of hydrological data or even the need for “transparency and predictability” in the economic and trade areas.
Rather the Chinese foreign ministry statement said “The two sides have earnestly implemented the important consensus reached by the leaders, carried out positive interactions at all levels and accelerated the process of improving China India relations.”
“The two sides should seize the opportunity, meet each other half-way, explore more substantive measures and commit to mutual understanding, mutual support and mutual achievement rather than mutual suspicion, mutual alienation and mutual consumption.”
The Chinese statement said Misri indicated full support for China’s chairmanship of the SCO (Shanghai Cooperation Organisation), which was not there in the Indian statement.
Misri’s meetings included interactions with Foreign Minister Wang Yi, and Liu Jianchao, head of the International Department of the Communist Party’s Central Committee.
At the meeting with Liu Jianchao, China said they discussed implementation of the agreement reached in October last year on resumption of patrolling along the Line of Actual Control in areas before the Galwan clash, also facilitation of patrolling in Depsang and Demchok, all leading to improved relations.
