India, China discuss resumption of Kailash Mansarovar Yatra, direct flights on sidelines of G20 Summit

Indian foreign minister S Jaishankar met with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in Brazil's Rio de Janeiro on Tuesday (Nov. 19).

A press release issued by the Indian foreign ministry said the two sides discussed steps to resume the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra pilgrimage.

Mansarovar is a freshwaterlake in Tibet near Mount Kailash, and both are places of pilgrimage attracting Hindu devotees from India and neighbouring countries.

"Among the steps discussed were the resumption of the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra pilgrimage, data sharing on trans-border rivers, direct flights between India and China, and media exchanges," the press release read.

The two leaders also discussed maintaining peace and tranquility at the Line of Actual Control (LAC), following a recent thaw in ties after PM Narendra Modi and Chinese leader Xi Jinping met in Russia's Kazan on the sidelines of the BRICS Summit.

"The Ministers recognized that the disengagement in our border areas had contributed to the maintenance of peace and tranquility. The discussions focused on the next steps in India-China relations. It was agreed that a meeting of the Special Representatives and of the Foreign Secretary-Vice Minister mechanism will take place soon," the press release read.

The two leaders also discussed other global issues and noted that the two nations have "both differences and convergences." The two nations pledged to work constructively at forums like BRICS and SCO, as well as at G20.

"EAM said that we are strongly committed to a multipolar world, including a multipolar Asia. Where India is concerned, its foreign policy has been principled and consistent, marked by independent thought and action. We are against unilateral approaches to establish dominance. India does not view its relationships through the prism of other nations," the Indian foreign ministry said.

(More to follow)