Amid Global Tensions, Rajnath and Doval Likely to Visit China for SCO Talks

23 June, 2025:

As tensions escalate between the United States, Iran, and Israel, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and National Security Advisor Ajit Doval are scheduled to visit China this week to take part in key meetings of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO).

While Rajnath Singh will attend the SCO defence ministers' meeting in Qingdao from June 25 to 27, sources said that Ajit Doval is expected to participate in a meeting of national security advisers ahead of the SCO summit.

This visit would mark the first ministerial-level engagement between India and China since relations began improving after the October 2024 agreement to de-escalate tensions along the Line of Actual Control (LAC).

The visit of Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and National Security Advisor Ajit Doval to China comes at a significant time, coinciding with the departure of the first batch of Indian pilgrims to Kailash Mansarovar, a revered pilgrimage site in Tibet.

The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) meetings they will attend are expected to focus on regional security cooperation, counter-terrorism efforts, and connectivity among member nations. Sources indicated that Rajnath Singh may also hold a bilateral meeting with the Chinese Defence Minister Admiral Dong Jun on the sidelines of the defence ministers’ summit.

As per experts, the visit is being seen as part of a broader diplomatic effort to stabilise India-China relations, which have remained strained since the military standoff in eastern Ladakh began in May 2020. In addition to attending the SCO meeting of national security advisers, Ajit Doval is also expected to hold Special Representative-level talks with Chinese officials. These discussions aim to further de-escalate tensions along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) and explore steps towards a long-term boundary resolution.

Together, these high-level visits signal a cautious but important move towards rebuilding trust and restoring normalcy in bilateral ties through structured diplomatic engagement.