India and China to Continue Seeking Political Settlement to Border Dispute

Aug 27, 2026 at 07:54 AM

|

Lanka Leader

India and China have agreed to continue efforts to seek a political settlement to their long-standing border dispute, following talks between senior officials in Beijing on Tuesday.

Indian National Security Adviser Ajit Doval and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, who serve as the designated special representatives for the India-China boundary talks, held a “candid and in-depth exchange of views” on the border question, according to a statement issued by India’s Ministry of External Affairs.

The two sides agreed to continue working toward a political settlement of the boundary issue while taking into consideration their “overall and long-term interests,” the statement said.

India and China also expressed satisfaction over the steady resumption of people-to-people contacts and cross-border exchanges. These include the ongoing Kailash Manasarovar pilgrimage and the resumption of border trade through Himalayan passes.

The special representatives reviewed progress in implementing understandings reached between Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping during their meeting on the sidelines of the BRICS summit in Kazan, Russia, in October 2024, as well as during their subsequent meeting in Tianjin, China, in August 2025, on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit.

The Kazan meeting was the first formal bilateral meeting between Modi and Xi in four years, following the 2020 military confrontation in the Ladakh region of the Himalayas, in which 20 Indian soldiers and at least four Chinese soldiers were killed.

At Kazan, the two leaders agreed to make use of the special representatives mechanism and foreign minister-level dialogue to seek solutions to the boundary question and maintain peace and stability along the border.

According to the Indian statement, Tuesday’s Beijing talks were conducted under the strategic guidance of Modi and Xi in a “constructive and forward-looking spirit.” India emphasized the importance of maintaining peace and tranquility in the border areas to ensure the continued development of bilateral relations.

Doval and Wang also exchanged views on bilateral, regional and international issues of mutual interest as the two countries prepare for the upcoming SCO summit in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, and the BRICS summit in New Delhi next month.

Chinese President Xi Jinping is expected to attend the BRICS summit with a large delegation, according to reports.

Before the special representatives’ talks, Doval also met with Chinese Vice President Han Zheng in Beijing.