China-India border talks reach eight-point consensus

The 25th meeting of the Special Representatives on the China-India border, held on Tuesday (25 August), produced eight points of consensus, according to a press release issued by China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Wednesday (26 August).

China’s Special Representative Wang Yi, who is also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and director of the Office of the Central Commission for Foreign Affairs, and India’s Special Representative Ajit Doval, who also serves as India’s National Security Adviser, exchanged views openly and in depth on the China-India border issue and agreed on the following eight outcomes and consensus points:

Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to upholding the guidance of the leaders of the two countries, maintaining peace and tranquillity in the border areas, and creating an atmosphere for the healthy and stable development of bilateral relations.

Both sides underscored their commitment to advancing negotiations on a framework for resolving the border issue in accordance with the Agreement on the Political Parameters and Guiding Principles for the Settlement of the China-India Boundary Question signed in 2005 and the consensus reached in subsequent Special Representatives talks, in order to seek a fair, reasonable and mutually acceptable solution.

The Expert Group on Boundary Delimitation and the Working Group on Border Management under the framework of the Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination (WMCC) on China-India Border Affairs will respectively advance discussions on the Early and Substantial Harvest related to boundary delimitation and border management. The first task for these groups is to agree on their respective Terms of Reference.

Both sides agreed that any situation on the ground will be promptly addressed through existing diplomatic and military channels, including the WMCC, local commander-level meetings, and other agreed mechanisms, to resolve outstanding issues and avoid misunderstandings and miscalculations along the Line of Actual Control (LAC). Both sides also discussed ways to enhance understanding of the LAC in appropriate areas in order to achieve better border management.

To improve border management measures, it was agreed to add two meeting points for the convening of Senior Highest Military Commander (SHMC) level meetings. Likewise, the addition of two border military hotlines in the Eastern and Central Sectors was also agreed.

Both sides noted progress in cross-border cooperation. The Indian side appreciated the efforts made by the Chinese side to increase the number of official Indian pilgrim groups to Mount Gang Renpoche and Lake Mapam Yun Tso in the Xizang Autonomous Region of China. Both sides welcomed the reopening of three designated border trade points. In addition, both sides also agreed to strengthen exchanges and cooperation in border trade, pilgrimage, and other fields, with the aim of fostering cooperation in creating an atmosphere that prioritises dialogue, peace, consultation, and cooperation in the border areas.

Both sides agreed to hold the next meeting of the China-India Expert Level Mechanism on Trans-Border Rivers in September and to maintain communication on various issues, including hydrological data exchange and the updating of the relevant memorandum of understanding (MoU).

Both sides agreed to hold the 26th round of Special Representatives talks in India in 2027.