The diplomatic talks between India and China on Tuesday emphasised effective border management and the restarting of cross-border cooperation and exchanges, comprising trans-border rivers and the Kailash-Mansarovar Yatra.
It was the 33rd meeting of the Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination (WMCC) on China-India border affairs, which discussed putting decisions in effect taken between NSA Ajit Doval and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi at the Special Representatives (SR) dialogue in December of 2024.
It came two months after Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri visited Beijing for two days and conducted discussions with his Chinese counterpart. Gourangalal Das, Joint Secretary (East Asia), headed the Indian team, whereas Hong Liang, Director General of the Boundary and Oceanic Affairs Department of the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, led the Chinese delegation.
During a meeting between PM Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping in Kazan on October 23, the decision included restoring the SR mechanism and other such dialogue formats.
‘Maintain and strengthen relevant diplomatic and military mechanisms’
“The two sides explored various measures and proposals to give effect to 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. The two sides agreed to maintain and strengthen relevant diplomatic and military mechanisms towards this end,” the Ministry of External Affairs said. Both weighed on the situation along the LAC in eastern Ladakh, where each side currently has nearly 50,000 to 60,000 troops along the LAC in the region.
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) added India and China also agreed to work jointly to make “substantial preparation” for the next SR meeting that will take place in India later this year. It mentioned that peace and tranquillity on the border are “critical” for the better development of overall relations between the two countries.
China’s ambassador on WMCC meeting
“Both sides, adopting a positive, constructive, and forward-looking approach, conducted a comprehensive and in-depth exchange of views on implementing the consensus reached during the 23rd meeting of Special Representatives for the China-India Boundary Question last December,” Xu Feihong, China’s ambassador to India posted on X.
He added, “The two sides agreed to take concrete and effective measures to continue maintaining peace and stability in the China-India border areas and actively prepare for the 24th meeting of Special Representatives for the China-India Boundary Question.”
Meanwhile, India has been consistent on its remark that its ties with China cannot be normal unless there is peace in the border areas. After the completion of the disengagement process in Demchok and Depsang, Indian and Chinese militaries also began patrolling activities again in the two areas after a hiatus of nearly four-and-a-half years.
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