India, China Hold ‘Constructive’ Talks on LAC; Stress Border Peace for Normal Ties

NEW DELHI, May 28: India and China held “constructive” and forward-looking discussions on the situation along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh, with both sides underlining that maintaining peace and tranquillity along the border remains essential for the normalisation of bilateral relations.

The talks took place during a meeting of the Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination (WMCC) on India-China Border Affairs held in Beijing on Wednesday. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said a day later that the discussions were “constructive and forward-looking” and included a review of the overall situation in the border areas.

According to the MEA, both sides expressed satisfaction over the progress achieved in maintaining peace along the LAC, noting that stability on the ground has enabled gradual improvement in broader bilateral ties. The two countries also agreed to prepare substantively for the next meeting of Special Representatives (SR), which is scheduled to be held in China.

The meeting comes as India and China continue efforts to stabilise relations after tensions triggered by the 2020 Galwan Valley clashes and a prolonged military standoff lasting over four years. In recent months, both sides have undertaken a series of diplomatic and military engagements aimed at restoring normalcy along the frontier.

The MEA said the discussions also covered issues related to delimitation, border management mechanisms, and cross-border cooperation. India called for the early convening of an expert-level mechanism on trans-border rivers, while both sides agreed to maintain regular diplomatic and military communication through established channels.

The Indian delegation was led by Sujit Ghosh, Joint Secretary (East Asia) in the MEA, while the Chinese side was headed by Hou Yanqi, Director General of the Boundary and Oceanic Affairs Department of the Chinese Foreign Ministry. During the visit, Ghosh also met Liu Jinsong, Director of the Department of Asian Affairs, and made a courtesy call on Chinese Assistant Foreign Minister Hong Lei.

The WMCC meeting was held amid ongoing efforts by both countries to reset strained ties. Over the past year, troop disengagement has been completed at several friction points along the LAC in eastern Ladakh.

In October 2024, both sides reached a disengagement agreement for Depsang and Demchok, the last remaining friction points in the region. Shortly after the agreement, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping met in Kazan and discussed steps to improve bilateral relations.

Earlier, in August last year, NSA Ajit Doval and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi held Special Representatives talks in New Delhi, producing multiple outcomes aimed at sustaining peace along the border. Prime Minister Modi also visited Tianjin for the SCO summit, where he held discussions with President Xi, reiterating India’s commitment to ties based on mutual trust, respect and sensitivity. (Agencies)