India-China Defence Ministers Discuss Peace Along LAC at SCO Meet in Bishkek

India’s Defence Minister Rajnath Singh held a bilateral meeting with his Chinese counterpart, Admiral Dong Jun, on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Defence Ministers’ Meeting in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan.

According to reports from the Chinese side and Indian officials, the two ministers discussed the need to maintain peace and tranquillity along the Line of Actual Control (LAC). The talks also touched upon broader regional security issues, including the situation in West Asia.

The meeting on April 28 comes as part of ongoing efforts to stabilise bilateral ties between India and China following the 2020 Galwan Valley clash and the subsequent military standoff along the disputed border in eastern Ladakh.

Rajnath Singh later described the interaction positively, stating it was a pleasure to meet Admiral Dong Jun during the SCO gathering.

The bilateral engagement took place within the larger framework of the SCO Defence Ministers’ Meeting, where participants focused on regional security, counter-terrorism, and defence cooperation among member nations.

This high-level military dialogue highlights continued communication between the two nuclear-armed neighbours through multilateral platforms, even as several friction points along the LAC remain unresolved. Officials characterised the meeting as constructive, aimed at reviewing the border situation and keeping open channels of communication.

The SCO platform has increasingly served as a neutral venue for India and China to address sensitive defence and security matters away from direct bilateral spotlight.