New Delhi: Noting that India-China “borders have been quiet”, NSA Ajit Doval Tuesday hoped for “more momentum” in ties during a meeting with visiting Foreign Minister Wang Yi who also stressed on creating “more conditions for the improvement and further growth of bilateral relations”.
The remarks came as they held the 24th round of Special Representative Level Talks on the boundary question. Doval and Wang head the Special Representatives dialogue mechanism between the two countries.
National Security Advisor Doval emphasised the importance of maintaining the new momentum, calling the current talks “special” in the context of the 75th anniversary of India-China diplomatic relations. He acknowledged the efforts of both diplomatic teams and the armies along the disputed border for helping restore stability after a period of protracted tension.
“Borders have been quiet. There has been peace and tranquility. Our bilateral engagements have been more substantial,” Doval said.
Wang Yi, who is on a three-day visit, added that the setbacks in ties India and China experienced over the past few years “were not in the interest of the people of our two countries”.
The meeting comes ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s likely visit to China for the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit in Tianjin later this month.
Wang Yi also credited the October 2024 meeting between Prime Minister Modi and President Xi Jinping in Kazan, Russia, on the margins of the BRICS Summit, for injecting fresh momentum into the relationship frayed since the 2020 Galwan clashes.
“History and reality prove once again that a healthy and stable China-India relationship serves the fundamental and long-term interests of both our countries,” the visiting foreign minister said in his opening note. “It is also what the developing countries all want to see.”
He said both countries need to adhere to the “strategic guidance” provided by their leaders, strengthen mutual trust through dialogue, broaden the scope of cooperation, and make progress toward a fair resolution of the boundary dispute.
The backdrop to the renewed engagement is the fallout from deadly clashes in the Galwan Valley in 2020, which had sent ties between the two Asian powers into a downward spiral. However, a breakthrough in October 2024, in the form of a disengagement agreement at key friction points along the Line of Actual Control (LAC), set the stage for renewed diplomatic efforts.
The Chinese foreign minister noted that the 23rd round of Special Representative talks in December 2024 had already laid a framework for improved communication and trust-building. This marked the first meeting of the Special Representatives since tensions erupted in the western sector of the India-China border in 2020.
During the talks, both sides welcomed the implementation of the October 2024 disengagement agreement, which has enabled the resumption of patrolling and grazing activities in the affected areas.
“Just now we had in-depth and detailed communication in the small group meeting. At the large group meeting, I am ready to work with you to build more consensus and identify the direction, the specific goals of the next boundary consultations going forward,” Wang told Doval at their meeting.
Diplomatic thaw
The uptick in India-China engagement also comes amid growing turbulence in India’s relationship with the United States. Washington recently imposed steep tariffs on Indian goods and criticised New Delhi’s continued purchase of Russian oil, complicating India’s foreign policy balancing act.
With Prime Minister Modi set to visit China later this month, and a renewed emphasis on multilateral cooperation through forums such as the SCO, the coming weeks could further determine whether this diplomatic thaw holds or remains temporary.
Modi will also meet the visiting foreign minister Tuesday.
During his talks with EAM S. Jaishankar Monday, Wang Yi said that “both countries should view each other as partners rather than adversaries”.
Last week, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said India-China were in discussions to restart trade through three points along their border.
(Edited by Ajeet Tiwari)
Also Read: India ‘denies change’ in position on Taiwan after Jaishankar-Wang Yi meet