India's envoy discusses more dialogue, visits with China

Beijing, March 13 (IANS) India's Ambassador to China Gautam Bambawale on Tuesday met a top official of the Communist Party's key International Department and discussed ways to step up bilateral talks and visits.

After the chill in their relationship following a 73-day military stand-off in the eastern sector of the border last year, both sides have been trying to mend fences.

It is apparent from Bambawale's host of meetings with influential government think tanks in the past few months where the talks are largely understood to have revolved around repairing the damage to bilateral ties done by Doklam stand-off.

The envoy met Guo Yezhou Vice-Minister of the International Department of the Communist Party of China, an influential body responsible for shaping up Beijing's foreign policy.

The Department has more say in formulating China's foreign policy than the Foreign Affairs Ministry.

"They shared ideas for further strengthening bilateral exchanges and visits, following up on their first meeting on January 4," the Indian Embassy said here.

India's Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced her visit to China in late April. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit China in June to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Summit.

Between Sitharaman and Modi, more visits and dialogues are expected between both sides.