China assures India to address needs of fertilisers, rare earths, machinery, confirms Foreign Minister Wang Yi

Source: Mint | Original Published At: 2025-08-19 03:33:49 UTC

Key Points

• China pledges to address India's concerns on fertilisers, rare earths, and tunnel boring machines.
• Bilateral talks between India's EAM S Jaishankar and China's Wang Yi focus on economic and trade issues, border tensions, and global stability.
• Progress on LAC patrolling protocols post-2024 BRICS Summit signals de-escalation efforts.
• Modi's anticipated attendance at the SCO summit in Tianjin highlights ongoing diplomatic engagement.

China has promised to address three of India’s concerns, namely rare earths, fertilisers, and tunnel boring machines, during a bilateral meeting between External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi on Tuesday, ANI reported, citing sources.

During the talks, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi assured EAM S Jaishankar that China is addressing the three key concerns of India’s needs of fertilisers, rare earths and tunnel boring machines.

The Chinese Foreign Minister arrived in India on Monday for a two-day visit.

Earlier on Monday, External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar said in his opening remarks that the talks would cover “economic and trade issues, pilgrimages, people-to-people contacts, river data sharing, border trade, connectivity and bilateral exchanges”.

EAM followed up on concerns he had brought up during his visit to China in July earlier this year.

During his opening remarks with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, EAM had underscored that as neighbouring nations and major economies in the world, there are various facets and dimensions of India-China ties. “It is also essential in this context that restrictive trade measures and roadblocks are avoided,” he said.

Jaishankar further noted, “Stable and constructive ties between India and China are not only to our benefit, but that of the world as well. This is best done by handling relations on the basis of mutual respect, mutual interest and mutual sensitivity.”

During his remarks with the Chinese Foreign Minister in New Delhi on Monday, the EAM noted that differences must not become disputes, nor competition conflict. He added that the visit of the Chinese leader to India provides the two countries with an opportunity to review the bilateral ties, and it is also an appropriate time to exchange views on the global situation and some issues of mutual interest.

India-China ties Relations between India and China had deteriorated following the Chinese military’s actions along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh, which triggered a standoff beginning in April–May 2020. While some progress was made through agreements on troop disengagement at certain friction points, the situation remained sensitive.

Ahead of the 2024 BRICS Summit, India and China reached a new agreement on patrolling protocols along the LAC in eastern Ladakh, a notable step toward de-escalation. In recent months, both nations have taken measures to improve bilateral relations, with India consistently emphasising the importance of further reducing tensions along the LAC.

Amid global geopolitical flux, including efforts to resolve the war in Ukraine and the impact of US tariffs under President Donald Trump, India’s External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar highlighted the urgent need to enhance stability in the global economy.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi’s visit comes ahead of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s expected trip to China to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Tianjin from 31 August to early September.