National Security Advisor(NSA)Ajit Doval and his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi, who is also foreign minister, will discuss later this month here all aspects of the boundary issue between the two nations.
The likely meeting under the aegis of Special Representative(SR)talks, will take place as armies of India and China have disengaged a few weeks ago from the Line of Actual Control(LAC)in Ladakh after four years, sources said here on Thursday.
The high-level talks between the two Special Representatives will mark the first parleys since the Galwan valley clash in 2020. The previous SR talks were held in December 2019.
The upcoming dialogue comes in the wake of recent disengagement of troops from both the sides from friction points at Depsang and Demchok. The parleys may see a breakthrough in the broader resolution of the border dispute.
The SR talks are expected to involve multilayered discussions aimed at defining and delineating the LAC more clearly, with the ultimate goal of achieving a lasting resolution.
Sources indicate that the outcome of these talks will determine the timeline for the next Corps Commander-level meeting, which will focus on operational issues regarding the ongoing patrolling and buffer zones to prevent further confrontations.
India and China have engaged in a series of military and diplomatic efforts to de-escalate the situation along the LAC since 2020. The SR level talks represent a crucial opportunity for both nations to address their differences, enhance trust, and establish a more stable framework for managing their contested border.
The SR talks come days after Defence Minister Rajnath Singh held talks with his Chinese counterpart Admiral Dong Jun in Vientiane, Lao PDR on November 20 on the sidelines of 11th ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting-Plus.
This was the first meeting of the two Defence Ministers following the recent disengagement agreements, and the meeting of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of BRICS summit.
Rajnath highlighted the fact that amicable relations between India and China, the two largest nations in the world, would have positive implications for global peace and prosperity. Considering that both countries are and will continue to remain neighbours, he mentioned that “we need to focus on cooperation rather that conflict”.
Rajnath called for reflecting on the lessons learnt from the unfortunate border clashes of 2020, take measures to prevent recurrence of such events and safeguard peace and tranquility along the India-China border.
