External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and Chinese counterpart Wang Yi met in Astana on Thursday. They agreed that prolonging the current situation at the border is not beneficial for either country. Both ministers also committed to intensifying efforts through diplomatic and military channels to resolve remaining border issues in Eastern Ladakh. The meeting between Jaishankar and Wang took place amidst the ongoing standoff in Eastern Ladakh, which has persisted for five years since May. Jaishankar reiterated India’s stance that relations between the two nations should be grounded in mutual respect, mutual interest, and mutual sensitivity. Their discussions occurred on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit in Kazakhstan's capital.