India, China Hold First SCO Bilateral Consultations in New Delhi

India and China held their first bilateral consultations focused on Shanghai Cooperation Organisation matters in New Delhi on April 16–17, 2026, in a fresh round of official engagement under a multilateral framework. The consultations were led by India’s SCO National Coordinator Alok A. Dimri and China’s National Coordinator Ambassador Yan Wenbin, according to the Ministry of External Affairs.

During the discussions, the two sides exchanged views on implementing decisions taken by SCO leaders and on the future direction of the organisation. The MEA said both countries agreed to continue and consolidate mutual cooperation and consultations on SCO-related issues, signalling an effort to keep institutional dialogue active even as the broader relationship remains carefully managed.

The delegations also jointly called on Secretary (West) Sibi George to review cooperation within the SCO framework in areas including security, trade, connectivity and people-to-people ties. Those themes are significant because they sit at the core of the SCO agenda and also reflect the wider areas where both countries continue to engage despite strategic tensions. This latest contact appears to be a structured diplomatic exercise inside the SCO format rather than a standalone breakthrough in bilateral relations.

The consultations come against the backdrop of a gradual, cautious stabilisation effort in India-China ties after the prolonged border crisis. Recent official exchanges linked to SCO forums have shown both sides using multilateral platforms to maintain communication, even while larger disputes remain unresolved. In that sense, the New Delhi meeting is important less for dramatic announcements and more for showing that formal channels of engagement are still functioning and, in some areas, expanding.

Reference:

https://www.business-standard.com/external-affairs-defence-security/news/india-china-hold-sco-bilateral-consultations-in-delhi-says-mea-126041701361_1.html
https://www.mea.gov.in/press-releases.htm?dtl%2F41051%2FFirst_IndiaChina_Bilateral_Consultations_on_SCO_matters=
https://www.reuters.com/world/china/india-seeks-permanent-solution-border-dispute-with-china-2025-06-27/
https://www.reuters.com/world/china/india-committed-improving-ties-with-china-modi-tells-xi-2025-08-31/