India's National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi held the 25th round of Special Representatives talks in Beijing on Tuesday, with both sides highlighting the importance of maintaining peace and tranquillity along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) as a foundation for broader bilateral ties.
Talks under the Special Representatives framework
The meeting, held under the Special Representatives dialogue mechanism on the India-China boundary question, came amid ongoing efforts by both countries to rebuild relations following the 2020 Galwan Valley clash and subsequent military standoff. Doval and Wang reviewed progress on boundary issues, trans-boundary cooperation, and ways to sustain the positive momentum in bilateral ties.
In New Delhi, the Ministry of External Affairs said the two Special Representatives had a "candid and in-depth" exchange of views on the boundary question and agreed to continue working towards a political settlement. "Under the strategic guidance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Xi Jinping, and in a constructive and forward-looking spirit, the two Special Representatives had a candid and in-depth exchange of views on the India-China boundary question," the MEA said in a statement.
'Normalcy a direct result of peace'
Ahead of the talks, Doval told Wang that the relationship had been steadily returning to normalcy over the past year. "The normalcy in our relationship has been a direct result of both sides maintaining peace and tranquillity in the border areas," he said, according to reports. The Indian side also highlighted the importance of peace in border areas for the continued development of bilateral relations.
Focus on future engagement
The Indian embassy in Beijing said Doval and Vice-President Han Zheng discussed ways to strengthen peace and tranquillity in border areas and improve relations across economic, political, and multilateral platforms, in accordance with the consensus reached between the leaders of the two countries.
China's Ambassador to India, Xu Feihong, said Han Zheng had noted that President Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Modi met twice over the past two years, in Kazan and Tianjin, and reached a series of important consensuses, guiding bilateral relations towards recovery and steady development. Xu quoted Han as saying that the two countries should view their relationship from a strategic and long-term perspective, enhance strategic mutual trust, and properly manage differences.
Setting the stage for a Xi visit
Doval and Wang also discussed the broader trajectory of India-China ties, including the potential visit of President Xi to India for the BRICS summit, which is scheduled for September 12–13. The talks, held under the Special Representatives mechanism, were seen as part of the preparations for that engagement.
Context: recovering after 2020 clashes
Relations between India and China have remained tense since the deadly clash in the Galwan Valley in June 2020, which was followed by a standoff at multiple points along the LAC. Since then, the two sides have maintained political and diplomatic channels to manage differences and reduce tensions. In June this year, Wang Yi visited India for a meeting of BRICS National Security Advisors, during which he met Doval and emphasised the need for both countries to respect each other's core interests and implement the consensus reached by their leaders.
The Indian side's emphasis on peace and tranquillity in border areas, and the Chinese side's call to draw on historical experience and place the boundary question in the context of overall bilateral relations, reflect an ongoing effort to stabilise ties while avoiding any escalation along the LAC.