Will Kailash Mansarovar Yatra, border trade resume? 6 points Ajit Doval-Wang Yi agreed on

To mend bilateral relations, representatives from India and China held a meeting focused on ensuring peace and stability along the border.

National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, both of whom serve as Special Representatives (SRs), met on Wednesday for the 23rd round of Special Representatives talks, marking the first such discussion in five years. They agreed on six key points to address the border issue.

The meeting was expected to cover various topics aimed at rebuilding ties between the two nations, following the disengagement and patrolling agreement in eastern Ladakh on October 21.

What are the six points India and China have agreed upon?

The discussions between Doval and Wang Yi came after a meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the BRICS summit held in Kazan last month. This marked a breakthrough after tensions escalated following the clashes in Ladakh’s Galwan Valley, which were the most severe in decades.

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During the meeting, both countries discussed the necessity of maintaining a political perspective on the overall bilateral relationship as part of their approach to resolving the border issue, according to a statement from the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).

They reiterated their “commitment to continue seeking a fair, reasonable and mutually acceptable package solution to the boundary issue in accordance with the political guidelines agreed upon by the special representatives of the two countries.”

The points of consensus include promoting cross-border tourism in regions such as Tibet, improving cross-border river cooperation, boosting trade at the Nathu La border, and resuming the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra.

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In its statement, the MEA said that the special representatives “provided positive directions for cross-border cooperation and exchanges, including the resumption of the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra, data sharing on trans-border rivers, and border trade.”

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Both sides evaluated progress on the border issues, reiterating that the implementation work should continue. It was also agreed that the border issue should be managed in the broader context of bilateral relations.

Further, India and China reaffirmed their commitment to pursuing a fair, reasonable, and mutually acceptable resolution to the boundary question, guided by the political framework agreed upon in 2005. They discussed taking constructive steps to advance this process.

The two countries also reviewed the border situation and agreed to refine border management rules, improve confidence-building measures, and maintain sustainable peace and tranquillity along the border, according to a statement from the Chinese Foreign Ministry.

It was agreed to strengthen the special representatives’ meeting mechanism further, improve coordination in diplomatic and military negotiations, and direct the China-India Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination on Border Affairs (WMCC) to oversee the implementation of decisions made during this meeting.

Notably, both sides agreed to hold a new round of special representatives’ talks in India next year, with the timing to be finalised through diplomatic channels.

The discussions also covered a wide range of bilateral, international, and regional issues of mutual concern. Both nations analysed the importance of a stable, predictable, and cooperative relationship between China and India for ensuring regional and global peace and stability.

‘China ready to work with India’

Ahead of the discussions, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said that China is prepared to collaborate with India to implement the key agreements reached between their leaders and work towards restoring bilateral ties to a stable footing as soon as possible.

#FPVideo: India's National Security Adviser, Ajit Doval met Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi for the 23rd round of talks between the Special Representatives of India and China on December 18. The meeting will focus on maintaining peace and tranquillity along the border areas. pic.twitter.com/g4WRiupv5w

— Firstpost (@firstpost) December 18, 2024

Beijing also noted the importance of respecting each other’s core interests and major concerns, building mutual trust through dialogue and communication, and resolving differences sincerely and in good faith.

“China is ready to work with India to implement the important common understandings between the leaders of China and India, respect each other’s core interests and major concerns, strengthen mutual trust through dialogue and communication, properly settle differences with sincerity and good faith, and bring bilateral relations back to the track of stable and healthy development as soon as possible,” Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Lin Jian said.

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar recently told the Parliament that disengagement in Eastern Ladakh has been fully achieved through a phased process, including the resolution of issues at Depsang and Demchok. He also reiterated that peace and tranquillity in border areas are essential for strengthening India-China ties.

In October, India and China finalised an agreement on patrolling arrangements along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in the border areas, marking progress in their efforts to stabilise relations.

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What was the India-China military clash in 2020 about?

Since May 2020, Indian and Chinese troops were locked in a standoff, turning into a violent clash in Ladakh’s Galwan Valley in June of that year. The conflict claimed the lives of 20 Indian soldiers and at least four Chinese soldiers, marking the most severe conflict between the two nations in decades.

Notably, the 4,000-km (2,500-mile) border between India and China remains largely disputed, and the Galwan Valley holds strategic importance due to its access to Aksai Chin.
The tensions in 2020 were primarily caused by China’s objections to India’s infrastructure projects, particularly a road connecting the Galwan River Valley to a critical airbase. China considered the development as a threat to its territorial claims.

On October 21, 2024, India announced an agreement with China on patrolling protocols along the LAC. This breakthrough marked the resolution of a four-year-long standoff initiated by the deadly 2020 clash. On October 31, in keeping with the Diwali tradition, Indian and Chinese troops exchanged sweets along the border.

With inputs from agencies