In Big Breakthrough, India, China To Seek Early Solution To Boundary Delimitation

Taking the first big steps to reset the entire trajectory of bilateral relations, India and China have decided to work on a settlement of the boundary question and an expert group will be set up to explore an early solution to boundary delimitation. 

After Prime Minister Narendra Modi, External Affairs Minister and National Security Advisor Ajit Doval met Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, the Ministry of External Affairs issued a statement on Tuesday and said the two sides have also decided to resume direct flights at the earliest and increase the scale of Indian pilgrimage to Mount Kailash and Lake Manasarovar.

PM Narendra Modi will attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit in China and the two sides also agreed to the reopening of border trade through the three designated trading points - Lipulekh Pass, Shipki La and Nathu La.

The relationship, which hit a low after the Galwan clash in 2020 and a prolonged military standoff, has seen a marked thaw of late, and the latest developments come in the wake of US President Donald Trump's announcement of 25% tariffs on India and an additional 25% levy for buying Russian oil. The US and China have also faced off over tariffs. 

Mr Doval and Mr Wang, who are the countries' Special Representatives (SR) on the Boundary Question, held the 24th round of the SR dialogue. 

"The two sides spoke positively of the progress made in the implementation of the important leader-level consensus in Kazan. The two sides shared the view that peace and tranquillity has been maintained in the India-China border areas since the 23rd SR Talks. They reiterated the importance of maintaining peace and tranquillity in the border areas to promote overall development of the India-China bilateral relationship," the ministry said in the statement. 

The statement said an agreement was reached to take a political perspective of the overall relationship while seeking a "fair, reasonable and mutually acceptable framework" for settlement of the boundary question in accordance with the 2005 Agreement on Political Parameters and Guiding Principles for Settlement of the India-China Boundary Question.

"The two special representatives agreed on setting up an Expert Group, under the Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination on India-China Border Affairs (WMCC), to explore Early Harvest in boundary delimitation in the India-China border areas," the statement said. 

Delimitation involves defining the boundary through legal and political means, without physical markers on the ground.

In the Wang-Yi Ajit Doval meeting, it was also decided that a working group would be set up under the Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination on India-China Border Affairs for effective border management to maintain peace and tranquillity.

The countries also agreed on the creation of General Level Mechanisms in the Eastern and Middle Sectors, in addition to the existing General Level Mechanism in Western Sector, and said de-escalation would be discussed.

Other Decisions

In the meeting between the two foreign ministers, both sides agreed that a stable, cooperative and forward-looking relationship is in the mutual interest of the two countries "to realise their development potential fully". 

"Chinese side welcomed Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's attendance at the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Summit to be held in Tianjin. Indian side reaffirmed its full support to China's SCO Presidency, and looked forward to a successful SCO Summit with fruitful outcomes," the statement said, adding that the countries agreed to support each other in hosting diplomatic events, including the 2026 BRICS summit in India and the 2027 summit in China.

The countries agreed to resume direct flight connectivity at the earliest as well as the facilitation of visas. Another people friendly measure includes the expansion of the pilgrimage from the Indian side to Mount Kailash and Lake Manasarovar.

On the economic front, the countries agreed to the reopening of border trade through the three designated trading points - Lipulekh Pass, Shipki La and Nathu La - and facilitate trade and investment flows between the two countries through "concrete measures".