India-China Border Talks Take a Big Turn as Doval and Wang Push for Settlement

India and China have agreed on an eight-point consensus aimed at maintaining peace along the Line of Actual Control (LAC), improving border management and advancing negotiations towards a fair, reasonable and mutually acceptable settlement of their long-running boundary dispute.

The agreement was reached during the 25th round of talks between the Special Representatives (SRs) of India and China in Beijing on Tuesday. National Security Adviser Ajit Doval, India’s Special Representative, held candid and in-depth discussions with Chinese Foreign Minister and Special Representative Wang Yi on the boundary question.

The two sides reaffirmed their commitment to follow the guidance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping and maintain peace and tranquillity in border areas to create conditions for the steady development of bilateral relations.

A key outcome was the decision to push forward negotiations on a framework for resolving the boundary dispute based on the 2005 Agreement on Political Parameters and Guiding Principles and understandings reached during earlier SR talks.

The two countries also agreed to give greater momentum to boundary delimitation and border management. An expert group on boundary delimitation and a working group under the Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination (WMCC) will take forward discussions, beginning with agreement on their respective terms of reference.

Recognising the risk of misunderstandings along the LAC, India and China agreed that situations on the ground should be addressed quickly through existing diplomatic and military channels, including local commander-level meetings and the WMCC.

In a significant move, the two sides agreed to establish two additional meeting points for senior military commander-level discussions. They also approved two additional military hotline channels in the Eastern and Middle Sectors.

The latest understanding also seeks to revive practical cooperation along the border. Both sides welcomed the reopening of three designated border trading points and agreed to expand cooperation in border trade and pilgrimage.

India welcomed China’s efforts to increase the number of batches for the Kailash-Manasarovar Yatra, which had resumed this year after a prolonged interruption.

The two sides further agreed to meet in September under the Expert-Level Mechanism on Trans-border Rivers and continue discussions on hydrological data sharing and renewal of relevant agreements.

The next round of Special Representatives talks will be held in India in 2027.

Despite the progress, the boundary dispute remains unresolved. The latest agreement therefore represents less a final settlement than an attempt to build stronger safeguards, communication channels and political momentum to prevent another escalation along the disputed frontier.