China and India agree to continue talks on Himalayan border settlement
Indian National Security Adviser Ajit Doval and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi held the 25th round of India-China Special Representatives talks in Beijing on August 25, agreeing to keep working towards a settlement of their disputed Himalayan boundary. They also agreed to expand military communication along the Line of Actual Control and hold the next round of talks in India in 2027.
In a Nutshell:
- Ajit Doval and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi held the 25th round of Special Representatives talks on August 25 to discuss the disputed Himalayan border and wider India-China ties.
- India and China agreed to keep working towards a boundary settlement and add two military meeting points and two hotline channels to manage tensions along the Line of Actual Control.
- The talks come after reports of Chinese troops near Pukar La and Ollo in Arunachal Pradesh, although Indian security officials and Chief Minister Pema Khandu said there was no confirmed incursion.
- India had also named 27 locations in Arunachal Pradesh on August 7, prompting Beijing to reject the move and repeat its claim over the Indian state as South Tibet.
- The two sides will hold their next boundary talks in India in 2027, while also continuing work on border trade, pilgrimage and transboundary river issues.
Context
India and China have been trying to stabilise relations since the 2020 border crisis, which led to a four-year military standoff before the two sides reached a disengagement agreement in October 2024. But the border itself remains unresolved. Arunachal Pradesh is one of the most sensitive points, with China continuing to claim the Indian state as South Tibet. The recent reports of Chinese activity near Pukar La and Ollo coincided with India's decision to name 27 locations there, showing how quickly the border dispute can strain relations. At the August 6 WMCC meeting, both sides had already agreed to keep using diplomatic and military channels to prevent misunderstandings along the LAC.
Why it matters
India-China talks are a sign that both sides are trying to ensure that broader diplomatic relations do not sour over the border dispute. Since their October 2024 agreement on patrolling arrangements in Depsang and Demchok eased the four-year military standoff, they have been restoring flights, travel, pilgrimage, trade and high-level diplomatic contact. But the recent dispute over Arunachal indicates that there has not been enough significant progress. With Xi Jinping expected to attend India's September 12 and 13 BRICS summit, resolving the border issue, at least for the moment, remains particularly important for New Delhi as it tries to bring wider engagement with Beijing back on track.
What we think
India and China are clearly not close to settling their border. They are, however, developing additional measures to prevent the dispute from repeatedly disrupting the relationship. That is probably the more realistic path for now, especially with Xi potentially coming to India next month. New Delhi still has to deal with China's claims over Arunachal Pradesh, while Beijing has to manage a relationship with India that it has increasingly described as strategically important. The question is whether this latest round of engagement can keep the border calm long enough for the wider relationship to develop, or whether the next Arunachal dispute will once again put strain on diplomatic relations. For Bangladesh, renewed tension between India and China would not be good news either, given how closely the region's trade, connectivity and diplomacy are tied to both countries.