India and China to Resume Special Representative Dialogue on Border Issues: Ajit Doval’s Visit to China
After a hiatus of five years, India and China are set to revive their Special Representative (SR) dialogue on the long-standing border issues. The much-anticipated talks will be led by India’s National Security Advisor, Ajit Doval, who will be heading to Beijing on December 18. This move signals an effort to improve the strained relations between the two countries, particularly following the agreement on patrolling the contentious border areas.
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) confirmed that the SR dialogue will focus on managing peace and tranquillity along the border while aiming for a fair and mutually acceptable solution to the boundary question. Ajit Doval will meet with his Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi, who is also China’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, in what will be the 23rd meeting under this dialogue mechanism. The Special Representative mechanism, established in 2003, was created to resolve the boundary issue through diplomatic channels. However, the talks have been suspended since 2020 following the military standoff at the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh, which escalated into a violent clash in Galwan Valley in June 2020, leaving 20 Indian soldiers dead.
This latest resumption of talks comes on the back of a breakthrough in border disengagement, which culminated in a full disengagement process in the regions of Demchok and Depsang in October 2024. This was followed by a meeting between Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping in Kazan, Russia, where both leaders agreed to revive several dialogue mechanisms, including the SR dialogue. During their meeting, both sides emphasized the need to encourage more frequent engagement between officials at all levels to ensure the stable development of relations.
The SR dialogue is seen as a vital component in maintaining peace along the LAC, particularly given the volatile and difficult terrain. The dialogue is focused not just on boundary management, but also on finding effective solutions for maintaining peace in the border areas, ensuring that neither side makes unilateral changes to the status quo. India has been firm in its position that its relationship with China cannot be normal unless there is complete peace along the border.
As the discussions between the two countries resume, the world will be watching closely to see whether these talks can yield a lasting solution to the complex and sensitive boundary dispute, which spans over 4,000 kilometers of harsh and difficult terrain. The outcome of these talks could play a significant role in shaping the future trajectory of India-China relations, with global implications for regional stability in Asia.
Refrence From: www.ndtv.com