India, China holds 'positive & constructive' diplomatic talks on border management ahead of Wang Yi-Doval meet

India and China held a new round of diplomatic talks in Beijing on Tuesday. The talks focused on better border management and restarting cross-border cooperation, including trans-border rivers and the Kailash-Mansarovar Yatra.

During the Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination (WMCC) meeting, both sides discussed ways to implement decisions made during the December talks between NSA Ajit Doval and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi at the Special Representatives (SR) dialogue.

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said that India and China also agreed to work together to make “substantial preparations” for the next SR meeting, which will be held in India later this year.

It said the meeting was held in a “positive and constructive” atmosphere, and both sides “comprehensively” reviewed the situation along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in the border areas.

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The MEA asserted that peace and tranquillity on the border are “critical” for the smooth development of overall bilateral relations.

It is understood that both sides deliberated on the overall situation along the LAC in eastern Ladakh. Each side currently has around 50,000 to 60,000 troops along the LAC in the region.

Doval’s Beijing visit

In December, Doval visited Beijing, where he held talks with Foreign Minister Wang under the framework of the SR dialogue on the boundary question.

The decision to revive the SR mechanism and other such dialogue formats was taken at a meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping in Kazan on 23 October.

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In the WMCC talks, the two sides agreed to “work together to make substantial preparations” for the next SR meeting to be held in India later this year, the MEA said.

“Held in a positive and constructive atmosphere, the meeting comprehensively reviewed the situation along the Line of Actual Control in the India-China border areas,” it said.

“The two sides explored various measures and proposals to implement the decisions taken during the 23rd meeting of the Special Representatives on the India-China boundary question in Beijing in December 2024 and to advance effective border management,” it added.

“The two sides agreed to maintain and strengthen relevant diplomatic and military mechanisms towards this end,” the MEA said.

It added that both sides also exchanged views on the “early resumption of cross-border cooperation and exchanges, including trans-border rivers and the Kailash-Mansarovar Yatra.”

The Indian delegation at the talks was led by Gourangalal Das, Joint Secretary (East Asia) in the MEA.

The Chinese team was headed by Hong Liang, Director General of the Boundary and Oceanic Affairs Department of the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The Indian delegation leader also met with China’s Assistant Foreign Minister, Hong Lei.

The WMCC meeting took place two months after Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri visited Beijing for two days and held talks with his Chinese counterpart.

India has repeatedly stated that relations with China cannot be normal without peace in the border areas.

After completing the disengagement process in Demchok and Depsang, both Indian and Chinese militaries resumed patrolling in these areas after nearly four and a half years.