• NSA Ajit Doval met with Chinese Vice President Han Zheng, marking a crucial step in fostering political trust between India and China.
• Han emphasized the need for high-level exchanges, mutual trust, and resuming institutional dialogue to bring bilateral relations back on track.
• The meeting was the first since border frictions in 2020, with both sides seeking a fair and mutually acceptable solution to the boundary question.
• The representatives discussed measures to maintain peace on the border and affirmed the implementation of the latest disengagement agreement.

In a significant development, National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval met with Chinese Vice President Han Zheng in Beijing. This meeting, held on Wednesday, marks a crucial step in fostering political mutual trust between the two nations. The meeting comes as a significant move after a five-year hiatus in the meetings between special representatives of both countries for the boundary question. Han Zheng emphasized the global influence and strategic significance of China and India as ancient oriental civilizations and emerging major powers. He stressed the importance of independence, solidarity, and cooperation between the two nations.

Reviving Diplomatic Relations and Mutual Trust

With the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and India approaching next year, Han underscored the need to implement the important consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries. He urged both sides to maintain the momentum of high-level exchanges, foster political mutual trust, and gradually resume institutional dialogue. This includes exchanges and cooperation in fields such as economy, trade, and culture, aiming to bring bilateral relations back onto the track of stable development. NSA Doval echoed these sentiments, stating that India is willing to strengthen strategic communication with China, expand mutually beneficial cooperation, and inject new impetus into the development of bilateral relations.

Boundary Question and Peaceful Conditions

The meeting between the special representatives was the first since frictions had emerged in the Western Sector of the India-China border areas in 2020. This meeting was in accordance with the decision taken during the recent meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping in Kazan, which had decided the future course of meetings to oversee the management of peace and tranquillity in border areas and to explore a fair, reasonable, and mutually acceptable solution to the boundary question. The Special Representatives (SRs) reiterated the importance of maintaining a political perspective of the overall bilateral relationship while seeking a fair, reasonable, and mutually acceptable framework for settlement of the boundary question.

Cross-Border Cooperation and Exchanges

They resolved to inject more vitality into this process, emphasizing the need to ensure peaceful conditions on the ground so that issues on the border do not hold back the normal development of bilateral relations. The SRs also discussed various measures to maintain peace and tranquillity on the border and advance effective border management. They decided to use, coordinate, and guide the relevant diplomatic and military mechanisms towards this purpose. The SRs positively affirmed the implementation of the latest disengagement agreement of October 2024, resulting in patrolling and grazing in relevant areas.