International
oi-Gaurav Sharma
India’s National Security Advisor Ajit Doval is scheduled to visit Beijing on Monday, August 24, for crucial talks with Chinese Foreign Minister and Special Representative Wang Yi over the India-China border dispute.
The 25th round of Special Representatives (SR) talks between India and China are likely to be held on Tuesday. The Line of Actual Control (LAC), management, and measures to ensure peace along the borders are expected to be discussed during the meetings.
India’s NSA Ajit Doval is visiting Beijing on August 24 for the 25th round of Special Representatives’ talks with Wang Yi on the India-China border dispute and Line of Actual Control management. This meeting precedes a potential visit by Chinese President Xi Jinping to India for the BRICS summit in September.
Doval’s Beijing visit comes at a critical time for bilateral ties as the talks are taking place against the backdrop of Chinese President Xi Jinping’s possible visit to India for the BRICS summit in New Delhi on September 12 and 13. The visit of Xi Jinping, however, is yet to be confirmed, though both countries seem to be optimistic about the outcome.
India and China had witnessed a major strain in their bilateral relations after the Galwan Valley clash in June 2020, which resulted in the deaths of several soldiers on both sides. The LAC in eastern Ladakh saw a military standoff as both nations began mobilizing troops and heavy machinery along the disputed borders.
Several rounds of military and diplomatic talks have been conducted between the two countries to de-escalate the situation and reach a consensus on resolving the border dispute.
The SR talks are considered an important forum to discuss political aspects of the LAC stand-off. They provide a platform for both nations to deliberate on troop levels, management issues besides working out a long-term political solution to the ongoing impasse.
Both sides are likely to discuss troop levels, management issues, peace along the borders, and the general bilateral ties during the ongoing 25th round of Special Representatives talks. India has been emphasizing consultations to restore peace and tranquility along the borders as a prerequisite to enhance bilateral relations with China. Similarly, China has also been vocal about engaging in dialogue to address the border dispute.
Given the context, Doval’s Beijing visit may prove to be a vital step in managing the current border standoff as well as building future bilateral relations between India and China.
