Politician · person

Wang Yi on Ajit Doval

Diplomatic counterpart (moderate)

TL;DR

Wang Yi views Ajit Doval as a key diplomatic counterpart with whom strategic dialogue on India-China relations is vital.

Key Points

  • The NSA met with the Chinese Foreign Minister in June 2025 to discuss the border situation and bilateral ties.

  • Following their meeting in June 2025, Doval praised the upward trajectory and hailed the peace along the border.

  • In 2018, Wang Yi met with Doval to discuss the promotion of sound and stable relations between the two countries.

Summary

Wang Yi, in his capacity as China's Foreign Minister and a member of the Politburo, consistently engages with Ajit Doval, India's National Security Advisor, viewing him as a crucial interlocutor for managing bilateral ties. Their interactions often focus on de-escalation and management of the border situation, where Doval's role as NSA necessitates direct engagement with his Chinese counterpart to maintain stability. These high-level meetings indicate that while relations may be complex, communication channels between the two powerful figures are deemed necessary for strategic stability.

The nature of their engagement suggests a pragmatic, working relationship despite underlying geopolitical tensions between their nations. For instance, following a high-level meeting in June 2025, Doval praised the upward trend in India-China ties and hailed the border peace, suggesting a consensus on maintaining current diplomatic progress. This dialogue framework, established between the two national security principals, implies a mutual understanding of the need to steer the relationship away from escalation through consistent, dedicated engagement.

Key Quotes

Only through "a cooperative pas de deux of the dragon and the elephant" will mutual benefit be achieved.

Frequently Asked Questions

Wang Yi views Ajit Doval as his primary counterpart for high-level strategic dialogue concerning India-China relations. Their direct engagement is seen as essential for managing the complex bilateral relationship, particularly regarding border stability. The interactions suggest a pragmatic, working-level trust exists between the two national security principals.

Yes, the two officials met recently in June 2025 for extensive talks focusing on bilateral issues. Doval reportedly praised the positive trend in India-China ties following this engagement. These meetings underscore the continued importance of direct communication between Beijing and New Delhi's top security advisors.

Following their meeting in June 2025, the Indian NSA praised the upward trend in India-China relations and hailed the peace achieved on the border. This suggests that the dialogue between Wang Yi and Doval successfully reinforced ongoing efforts to manage the relationship and maintain stability.

Sources5

* This is not an exhaustive list of sources.