Jaishankar–Xi Meeting: India Flags Border Tensions, Rare Earth Crisis & Trade Blocks

Five years after the deadly Galwan clash, India and China are once again face to face — this time across a diplomatic table. In a high-stakes meeting in Beijing, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar met Chinese President Xi Jinping, delivering a strong and clear message from New Delhi. The agenda was far from symbolic. Jaishankar raised pressing issues including persistent tensions along the Line of Actual Control (LAC), trade barriers choking India's access to rare earths crucial for its electric vehicle ambitions, and stalled infrastructure projects such as the bullet train initiative. India made it clear that peace at the border and respect for territorial integrity are non-negotiable, and that genuine economic cooperation cannot happen without removing existing roadblocks. As Prime Minister Modi prepares for a potential visit to China later this year, this meeting could mark the beginning of a cautious reset—or yet another round of diplomatic standoff.