India, China agree on new hotlines, meeting points to ease border management
India and China concluded the 25th Special Representative talks in Beijing, agreeing on new hotlines, meeting points, and a push for an early harvest in boundary discussions.
India and China have agreed to intensify efforts toward an early and substantial outcome in their ongoing boundary negotiations, following the 25th round of Special Representative-level talks held in Beijing on Tuesday. The discussions, led by National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, produced eight agreed outcomes aimed at stabilizing the border situation and improving communication channels.
A joint statement released on Wednesday outlined the key decisions. Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to maintaining peace and tranquility along the border and to creating a conducive atmosphere for the healthy development of bilateral ties. They also pledged to continue negotiations on a framework for resolving the boundary question, guided by the 2005 Agreement on Political Parameters and Guiding Principles.
A significant outcome was the directive for the Expert Group on Boundary Delimitation and the Working Group on Border Management to advance discussions on an 'Early and Substantial Harvest' in their respective areas. These groups, operating under the Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination on India-China Border Affairs (WMCC), will first focus on agreeing on their terms of reference.
To improve ground-level management, the two sides agreed to establish two additional meeting points for Senior Highest Military Commander meetings. Furthermore, two new channels for border military hotlines were approved for the Eastern and Middle sectors, supplementing existing communication links.
The talks also covered trans-border cooperation. India appreciated China's efforts to increase the number of batches for the Kailash-Mansarovar Yatra, and both sides welcomed the reopening of designated border trading points. They agreed to foster greater cooperation in trade and pilgrimage to build a more cooperative atmosphere in border areas.
On trans-border rivers, the two sides agreed to hold the next meeting of the Expert-Level Mechanism in September, with a focus on hydrological data sharing and the renewal of relevant memoranda of understanding. Finally, it was agreed that the 26th round of Special Representative-level talks will be held in India in 2027.