China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi will visit India on August 18—his first trip in over three years—signaling a thaw in relations between the two Asian giants. The visit comes as both nations find common ground in the wake of steep U.S. tariffs on Indian exports, with Beijing openly backing New Delhi’s stance and urging unity against what its state media calls American “bullying” tactics. Wang Yi is expected to hold high-level talks with National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar to explore renewed trade and investment ties, disrupted in recent years by pandemic restrictions and border tensions. The trip follows a series of reconciliatory steps, including the resumption of direct flights and fresh border agreements in 2024. Analysts see this as part of India’s strategic balancing—keeping close ties with the U.S. while cautiously expanding cooperation with China through platforms like BRICS—at a time when global trade and geopolitics are in flux.
