Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh urged his Chinese counterpart to work towards a “permanent solution” to the long-standing border dispute between the two nations, according to a statement from India’s defence ministry on Friday (June 27). Singh met with Chinese Defence Minister Dong Jun on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) defence ministers’ meeting in Qingdao on Thursday. During the discussion, Singh emphasized the importance of resolving bilateral issues through a well-defined and structured approach, the statement said.

India and China — the world’s two most populous and nuclear-armed nations — share a 3,800-kilometre Himalayan border that remains largely undefined and contested. Though the region had seen relative peace in recent years, tensions flared in 2020 when a violent confrontation between troops led to the deaths of 20 Indian and four Chinese soldiers.

This incident triggered a prolonged military standoff, with both sides stationing tens of thousands of soldiers in the high-altitude region. However, a disengagement agreement reached in October marked the beginning of a de-escalation in tensions. During his talks with Dong, Singh also emphasized the need to rebuild trust damaged by the 2020 conflict, according to Indian officials. The SCO, a 10-nation Eurasian political and security alliance, includes members such as China, Russia, India, Pakistan, and Iran. The recent defence ministers' gathering is part of the lead-up to the organization’s annual summit scheduled for later this year.