- National security advisor Ajit Doval is scheduled to arrive in Beijing on Monday to take part in the India-China Special Representatives (SR) talks on the boundary issue with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi.
- Doval and Wang are scheduled to hold the 25th round of SR talks on Tuesday, according to official sources.
- The upcoming talks assume significance as they are being held ahead of the much-anticipated visit of Chinese President Xi Jinping to India to attend the BRICS summit in New Delhi on September 12-13.
- While there is no official confirmation about Xi's visit, officials on both sides are optimistic about the Chinese leader's participation, which could provide an opportunity for a meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the sidelines of the summit to discuss initiatives to take forward bilateral ties.
- Ahead of Doval-Wang talks, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar reiterated that peace and tranquillity along the border areas are prerequisite for good relations with China, noting a "particularly bad patch" between the summer of 2020 and the autumn of 2024.
National Security Advisor Ajit Doval is heading to Beijing for the 25th round of India-China Special Representatives talks on the boundary issue, scheduled for Tuesday. These discussions are crucial as they precede the anticipated visit of Chinese President Xi Jinping to India for the BRICS summit on September 12-13.13
Doval and his Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi, are tasked with addressing the longstanding boundary dispute that spans 3,488 km. The talks are seen as a vital step towards improving bilateral relations, which have been strained since the border clashes in 2020. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar emphasized that peace along the border is essential for good relations, stating, "peace and tranquillity in the border areas is a prerequisite for good relations."567
While there is no official confirmation of Xi's visit, optimism remains regarding a potential meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi to discuss bilateral initiatives. The situation along the border has been described as "generally stable" by China's Foreign Ministry, despite reports of increased military activity near Arunachal Pradesh. Both nations have agreed to maintain communication to uphold peace in the border areas, highlighting the importance of the upcoming talks in shaping future relations.4
“The talks come as External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar stressed that peace and tranquillity along the border are a prerequisite for good relations, citing a 'particularly bad patch' from summer 2020 to autumn 2024. Officials are optimistic about Xi's participation, which could enable a Modi-Xi meeting on the sidelines.”
