India-China Agree New Push on Boundary Delimitation
India and China have agreed to accelerate discussions on boundary delimitation and strengthen mechanisms to prevent misunderstandings along the Line of Actual Control (LAC), announcing an eight-point consensus after the latest round of high-level border talks in Beijing.
India-China Push Early Boundary Delimitation
National Security Adviser Ajit Doval and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi held the 25th round of Special Representatives talks on August 25.
Both sides agreed that expert groups dealing with boundary delimitation and border management would advance discussions towards an “Early and Substantial Harvest”. This could involve making progress in areas where differences over the boundary are relatively limited, although no specific sectors or timelines have been announced.
India and China also reaffirmed their commitment to pursuing a fair, reasonable and mutually acceptable settlement under the framework established by their 2005 boundary agreement.
India-China to Add Military Hotlines
The two countries agreed to establish two additional meeting points for senior military commanders and two new military hotline channels covering the Eastern and Middle sectors.
They also decided that emerging situations on the ground should be addressed promptly through military and diplomatic channels to avoid misunderstanding or miscalculation along the LAC.
Peace and tranquillity along the disputed frontier remains central to efforts to stabilise wider India-China relations following the prolonged military standoff that began in 2020.
Trans-Border Rivers and Trade Also Discussed
India and China will hold another meeting of their Expert-Level Mechanism on Trans-border Rivers in September, including discussions on hydrological data sharing and renewal of relevant agreements.
Both sides also welcomed the reopening of three designated border trade points and agreed to expand cooperation involving trade and the Kailash Manasarovar pilgrimage.
The 26th round of Special Representatives talks will be held in India in 2027.
