The Crossbill News Desk
India and China held the 33rd round of border talks in Beijing on Tuesday (March 26), discussing ways to implement decisions taken at last year’s high-level Special Representatives’ meeting.
The talks, led by senior officials from both sides, were described as “positive and constructive” by India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), while China called the discussions “forward-looking.”
The meeting, held under the Working Mechanism for Consultation & Coordination on India-China Border Affairs (WMCC), focused on maintaining peace along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) and strengthening diplomatic and military mechanisms.
Both sides agreed to take practical steps toward implementing agreements reached during the December 2023 talks between India’s National Security Adviser Ajit Doval and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi.
“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,” the MEA statement said.
Tuesday’s discussions were led by MEA Joint Secretary for East Asia Gourangalal Das and China’s Director General of Boundary and Oceanic Affairs, Hong Liang. The two sides also agreed to prepare for the next round of WMCC talks, which will be held in India.
The talks come amid a gradual thaw in bilateral ties following the disengagement of troops from key friction points in eastern Ladakh last year. That agreement paved the way for the first bilateral meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping in five years, held in October 2023. Subsequent diplomatic engagements led to an agreement to resume the Kailash-Mansarovar pilgrimage, cross-border trade, and data-sharing on transboundary rivers.
Although China is reportedly keen on resuming direct flights between the two countries, the MEA’s official statement did not mention this issue.
Reflecting on the evolving relationship, Modi recently stated in an interview that he expects “trust, enthusiasm, and energy” to return to India-China ties. He emphasized that while differences exist, they must not escalate into disputes. China welcomed Modi’s remarks, with Beijing stating that cooperation between the two Asian giants is the “only right choice” for regional stability and global prosperity.
The talks, led by senior officials from both sides, were described as “positive and constructive” by India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), while China called the discussions “forward-looking.”
The meeting, held under the Working Mechanism for Consultation & Coordination on India-China Border Affairs (WMCC), focused on maintaining peace along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) and strengthening diplomatic and military mechanisms.
Both sides agreed to take practical steps toward implementing agreements reached during the December 2023 talks between India’s National Security Adviser Ajit Doval and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi.
“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,” the MEA statement said.
Tuesday’s discussions were led by MEA Joint Secretary for East Asia Gourangalal Das and China’s Director General of Boundary and Oceanic Affairs, Hong Liang. The two sides also agreed to prepare for the next round of WMCC talks, which will be held in India.
The talks come amid a gradual thaw in bilateral ties following the disengagement of troops from key friction points in eastern Ladakh last year. That agreement paved the way for the first bilateral meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping in five years, held in October 2023. Subsequent diplomatic engagements led to an agreement to resume the Kailash-Mansarovar pilgrimage, cross-border trade, and data-sharing on transboundary rivers.
Although China is reportedly keen on resuming direct flights between the two countries, the MEA’s official statement did not mention this issue.
Reflecting on the evolving relationship, Modi recently stated in an interview that he expects “trust, enthusiasm, and energy” to return to India-China ties. He emphasized that while differences exist, they must not escalate into disputes. China welcomed Modi’s remarks, with Beijing stating that cooperation between the two Asian giants is the “only right choice” for regional stability and global prosperity.
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