India and China have taken a significant step towards resolving their long-standing boundary dispute, with both sides agreeing to begin the delimitation of less contentious border areas as a precursor to final demarcation.
The decision was reached during the 24th round of Special Representative-level talks between National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and visiting Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Tuesday. Prime Minister Narendra Modi also held discussions with Wang Yi in New Delhi.
As per the Indian proposal accepted by Beijing, the process will follow a step-by-step approach. A technical expert group under the Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination on India-China Border Affairs (WMCC) will be set up, followed by the identification of low-friction areas for delimitation. This will eventually lead to demarcation on the ground with boundary pillars.
The talks also focused on reducing military tensions. Both armies agreed to adopt a non-offensive posture in East Ladakh and other sensitive sectors by withdrawing heavy weaponry like tanks, rockets, and artillery to non-threatening positions. This marks the first move towards de-escalation since the May 2020 clashes.
Diplomatic sources said the effort reflects a “piece-meal” approach to confidence-building, aimed at restoring ties to pre-2020 levels. The initiative follows the October 2024 meeting between PM Modi and President Xi Jinping, with both leaders scheduled to meet again at the SCO Summit in Tianjin on August 31.
