Rajnath Singh, India’s Defence Minister, met his Chinese counterpart Dong Jun on June 26, 2025, during the SCO Defence Ministers’ Meeting in Qingdao — marking their first ministerial-level interaction since the 2024 Ladakh disengagement agreement
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Significance of the meeting
Symbolic thaw in ties since the 2020 Galwan clash and subsequent 2024 border-agreement
Aimed at stabilizing the bilateral relationship and rebuilding mutual trust, following years of frozen engagement along the LAC
Marked the first high-profile visit by an Indian defence minister to China since 2020
What was discussed?
Restoration of military communication channels to avoid miscalculations and enhance border stability
Progress in Ladakh disengagement, specifically the implementation of the 2024 patrol-pact and movement towards peace
Broader defence engagement, including terrorism threats—particularly cross-border and proxy terrorism—and regional security challenges
While SCO members failed to adopt a joint communique due to disagreements over terrorism language (specifically the April 22 Kashmir attack), India firmly held its ground and refrained from signing
DIGI MERCH STORE PRINT ON DEMAND
Broader context & Takeaways
The 2024 border-patrol agreement, finalized in October, restored troop patrolling in key Ladakh friction zones like Depsang and Demchok
Disengagement on the ground was confirmed in late 2023, and follow-up diplomatic contacts—such as this SCO meet—are helping rebuild trust
India is leveraging multilateral forums like the SCO to raise its security concerns, especially terrorism, and push for collective action
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Bottom line
The meeting is the first high-level military dialogue since the military disengagement agreement in Ladakh, indicating cautious but meaningful diplomacy. While key issues remain unresolved – notably the definition of terrorism and full border normalisation – the talks are a promising step towards restoring bilateral military trust
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