India and China on Tuesday agreed to work together to make “substantial preparation” for the next meeting of their Special Representatives (SR) on the boundary question that is set to be held in the national capital later this year.
The decision was taken at a fresh edition of talks held in Beijing under the framework of Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination on India-China Border Affairs (WMCC).
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said the WMCC meeting was held in a “positive and constructive atmosphere” and both sides “comprehensively” reviewed the situation along the Line of Actual Control (LAC).
“The two sides agreed to work together to make substantial preparation for the next meeting of the Special Representatives (SR), which will be held in India later this year,” it said in a statement. The MEA said peace and tranquillity on the border are critical for the smooth development of overall bilateral relations.
“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,” it said.
The Indian readout said the two sides agreed to maintain and strengthen relevant diplomatic and military mechanisms towards this end. “They also exchanged views on early resumption of cross-border cooperation and exchanges, including on trans-border rivers and Kailash-Mansarovar Yatra,” the MEA said. The Indian delegation at the talks was led by Gourangalal Das, Joint Secretary (East Asia) in the MEA.
The Chinese delegation was led by Hong Liang, Director General of the Boundary and Oceanic Affairs Department of the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Earlier, on March 16, Prime Minister Narendra Modi conveyed optimism about India’s ties with China, emphasising the value of learning from and understanding one another.
“Look, the relationship between India and China isn’t something new. Both nations have ancient cultures and civilisations. Even in the modern world, they play a significant role. If you look at historical records, for centuries, India and China have learned from each other. Together, they have always contributed to the global good in some way,” he said in a podcast with AI researcher Lex Fridman.
The Prime Minister said, “It is true that there have been ongoing border disputes between us. We are now working to restore conditions to how they were before 2020. Slowly but surely, trust, enthusiasm, and energy will return. But of course, it will take some time since there’s been a five-year gap.”
