External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj embarks on two-nation visit to China, Mongolia

External affairs minister Sushma Swaraj embarked on her two-nation visit to China and Mongolia where she will participate in the meeting of foreign ministers of Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO).

Swaraj shall set the tone for PM Modi's visit to China which is scheduled in June. India became a full member of SCO in 2017. Since 2005, India was an observer in the group and was made a full member along with Pakistan last year.

The visit also gains significance of the backdrop of the hostilities in the Sino-India relations in the aftermaths of the Doklam standoff. Troops of the two countries were locked in a standoff for more than two months in 2017.

In the recent past, the two countries have accused each other of encroaching upon their territory. Swaraj is also expected to hold bilateral talks with her Chinese counterpart Wang Yi, besides similar talks with some other members of SCO. Following her visit to China, Swaraj will be in Mongolia from April 24 to 25.