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India and China have decided to establish two new groups to address their long-standing border issues. This agreement came after Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi met with India’s National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar during his official visit to New Delhi.
One of these groups will focus on “exploring early harvest in boundary delimitation,” aiming to find quick solutions for specific border areas. The other group will work on “maintaining peace and tranquillity” along the border, ensuring stability in the region.
During his visit, Wang Yi also held talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The two leaders highlighted the “steady progress” India and China have made in improving their relationship. PM Modi stressed that maintaining peace along the border is vital for the overall health of bilateral ties.
Under the Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination on India-China Border Affairs (WMCC), an Expert Group will be created to identify potential early breakthroughs in boundary delimitation. Meanwhile, a new Working Group will focus on better border management and sustaining peace and stability along the frontier.
In addition to forming these groups, both countries agreed to carry out a detailed exchange of views to address border concerns. They stressed the need for a long-term political perspective on the wider bilateral relationship while seeking a fair and mutually acceptable solution for the boundary issue, in line with the 2005 agreement.
New general-level mechanisms will also be set up in the eastern and middle sectors of the border, complementing the western sector arrangements. Both nations have agreed to continue using existing communication channels and plan the next round of border talks.
Prime Minister Modi is scheduled to visit China later this month to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit, confirmed NSA Ajit Doval during his discussions with Wang Yi. This will mark Modi’s first visit to China since 2018. The SCO Summit is set to begin on August 31 in Tianjin. “Our prime minister will be visiting for the SCO summit,” Doval said, highlighting the “new energy” in diplomatic ties between the two nations.
