Indian and Chinese soldiers exchange greetings at Hot Springs in Leh on the occasion of Deepavali on October 31, 2024. Photo: X/@adgpi via ANI

In preparation for the meeting of the Special Representatives between India and China on boundary resolution, India and China on Thursday (December 5, 2024) held the 32nd meeting of the Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination on India-China Border Affairs (WMCC). This is the latest in a series of bilateral engagements since the recent bonhomie in the bilateral relationship following disengagement in the last two friction points — Depsang and Demchok.

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“The two sides positively affirmed the implementation of the most recent disengagement agreement which completed the resolution of the issues that emerged in 2020. They also prepared for the next meeting of the Special Representatives, which is to be held in accordance with the decision of the two leaders in their meeting in Kazan on October 23,” the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said in a statement.

The Indian delegation was led by Gourangalal Das, Joint Secretary (East Asia), and the Chinese delegation was led by Hong Liang, Director General of the Boundary and Oceanic Affairs Department of the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The 31st round of WMCC meeting was held on August 29 in Beijing.

Both sides reviewed the situation in border areas, and “reflected on the lessons learnt” from the events of 2020 in order to prevent their recurrence, the statement said, and in this context, they highlighted the importance of regular exchanges and contacts at diplomatic and military level through established mechanisms. They agreed on the need for effective border management and maintenance of peace and tranquillity in accordance with relevant bilateral agreements, protocols and understandings reached between the two governments, the MEA added.

On November 4, the Indian Army announced that it has patrolled to one of the five Patrolling Points (PP) in the Depsang area of eastern Ladakh, the first time since the disengagement undertaken a week prior last week and also since the stand-off began in May 2020.

The Indian Army last accessed the PPs in Depsang in January 2020, as reported by The Hindu earlier. As part of the latest agreement on disengagement from Depsang and Demchok, which completes the process from all friction points of the standoff, both sides also agreed on resumption of patrolling and access to grazing areas in the two areas. “The patrolling is coordinated between both sides to avoid clashes, and the frequency would be to a maximum of one Patrolling Point (PP) a week by each side in both locations. All patrolling points have since been accessed,” officials said.

Talks are continuing between the two sides for resumption of patrolling in other five friction points where buffer zones are in place following disengagement.

Since the agreement, in addition to the meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of BRICS summit, there have been other high-level exchanges between the two countries.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi meets Chinese President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the BRICS summit in Kazan, Russia on October 23, 2024
| Photo Credit: CHINA Reuters

China on Monday (November 18, 2024) said it stands ready to deliver on important common understandings reached between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping during the recent BRICS summit leading to a thaw in the relations frozen for over four years due to military standoff at Eastern Ladakh.

“Recently, President Xi Jinping met with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the margins of the BRICS summit held in Kazan,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian told a media briefing here while responding to a question on the likelihood of a meeting the two leaders on the sidelines of G20 summit in Brazil.

“China stands ready to work with India to deliver on the important common understandings between the leaders of the two countries, step up communication and cooperation and enhance strategic mutual trust,” he said, adding that he has no information on the specifics of the meeting of the leaders and officials.

At their Kazan meeting, the two leaders endorsed the India-China agreement on patrolling and disengagement along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh and issued directions to revive various bilateral dialogue mechanisms, signalling attempts to normalise ties that were hit by a deadly military clash in 2020.

In the nearly 50-minute meeting held on the sidelines of the BRICS Summit at Kazan, Mr. Modi underscored the importance of properly handling differences and disputes and not allowing them to disturb peace and tranquility in border areas and that mutual trust, mutual respect and mutual sensitivity should remain the basis of the relations.

Also read | The LAC agreement, the détentes and the questions

Mr. Xi said China-India relations are essentially a question of how the two large developing countries and neighbours, each with a 1.4-billion-strong population, treat each other.

China and India should maintain a sound strategic perception of each other and work together to find the “right and bright path” for big, neighbouring countries to live in harmony and develop side by side, he said.

The ties between the two Asian giants nosedived significantly following the fierce clash in the Galwan Valley in June 2020 that marked the most serious military conflict between the two sides in decades.

On Oct 21, India and China firmed up an agreement on patrolling and disengagement of troops along the LAC in eastern Ladakh, in a breakthrough to end the over four-year standoff.

Both leaders also instructed the Special Representatives on the India-China boundary question to meet at an early date and to continue their efforts to address the issues related to the Line of Actual Control (LAC).

India’s Special Representative for the dialogue is NSA Ajit Doval while the Chinese side is headed at the talks by Foreign Minister Wang Yi.

The Special Representatives mechanism was constituted in 2003. The two sides held 20 rounds of talks since then. The last meeting was held in 2019.

Canberra:

India and China concluded the last lot of disengagement on October 21 and the implementation process is going on, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said on Tuesday, while calling this a “positive development.”

The Foreign Minister was holding a joint presser with his Australian Counterpart Penny Wong in Canberra.

Being asked about the recent disengagement between India and China, Jaishankar said, “On October 21st we concluded the last lot of disengagement agreements, we had done some earlier. These are currently in the process of being implemented. The last agreement was primarily around patrolling rights of the two sides. So we think all in all it’s a positive development.”

The EAM said that Prime Minister Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping have agreed for meetings between the national security advisors and foreign ministers of the two countries.

“The fact that with that, once it’s done the disengagement process is completed, we have other challenges to address including de-escalation of forces but at Kazan on the sidelines of the BRICS meeting Prime Minister Modi and President Xi had a meeting. It was agreed that the foreign ministers and the national security advisors would meet, so we will have to look at further building on this,” he added.

PM Modi and Chinese President Xi held a bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the BRICS Summit in Kazan, Russia. Prime Minister Modi stated that ties between the two nations are important for the people of India and China and for regional and global peace and stability.

The sentiment was also reiterated by India’s Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, who last week said, “At some areas along the LAC, discussions have been ongoing between India and China at both diplomatic and military levels to resolve conflicts. Following recent talks, there has been a broad consensus to restore the ground situation. This consensus has developed on the basis of equal and mutual security. The agreement includes rights related to patrolling and grazing in traditional areas”.

He added, “Based on this consensus, the disengagement process is nearly complete. We will strive to move beyond just disengagement, but for that, we will need to wait a little longer.”

This came after both India and China confirmed that an agreement had been reached between the two nations regarding patrolling arrangements along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in the India-China border areas.

The border standoff between India and China began in eastern Ladakh along the LAC in 2020, sparked by Chinese military actions. This incident led to prolonged tensions between the two nations, significantly straining their relations.

Spokesperson of MFA: The Chinese and Indian troops are implementing the resolutions that the two sides reached on issues concerning the border area, which is going smoothly at the moment. pic.twitter.com/iB7mWPQUfs

— Yu Jing (@ChinaSpox_India) November 5, 2024

Earlier in the day, the spokesperson of the Chinese Embassy in India announced on the social media platform, X, “The Chinese and Indian troops are implementing the resolutions that the two sides reached on issues concerning the border area, which is going smoothly at the moment”.

Chinese Ambassador to India Xu Feihong had also earlier said that he hoped the bilateral ties would move forward smoothly and ties between both countries would not be restricted or interrupted by specific disagreements.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Canberra:

India and China concluded the last lot of disengagement on October 21 and the implementation process is going on, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said on Tuesday, while calling this a “positive development.”

The Foreign Minister was holding a joint presser with his Australian Counterpart Penny Wong in Canberra.

Being asked about the recent disengagement between India and China, Jaishankar said, “On October 21st we concluded the last lot of disengagement agreements, we had done some earlier. These are currently in the process of being implemented. The last agreement was primarily around patrolling rights of the two sides. So we think all in all it’s a positive development.”

The EAM said that Prime Minister Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping have agreed for meetings between the national security advisors and foreign ministers of the two countries.

“The fact that with that, once it’s done the disengagement process is completed, we have other challenges to address including de-escalation of forces but at Kazan on the sidelines of the BRICS meeting Prime Minister Modi and President Xi had a meeting. It was agreed that the foreign ministers and the national security advisors would meet, so we will have to look at further building on this,” he added.

PM Modi and Chinese President Xi held a bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the BRICS Summit in Kazan, Russia. Prime Minister Modi stated that ties between the two nations are important for the people of India and China and for regional and global peace and stability.

The sentiment was also reiterated by India’s Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, who last week said, “At some areas along the LAC, discussions have been ongoing between India and China at both diplomatic and military levels to resolve conflicts. Following recent talks, there has been a broad consensus to restore the ground situation. This consensus has developed on the basis of equal and mutual security. The agreement includes rights related to patrolling and grazing in traditional areas”.

He added, “Based on this consensus, the disengagement process is nearly complete. We will strive to move beyond just disengagement, but for that, we will need to wait a little longer.”

This came after both India and China confirmed that an agreement had been reached between the two nations regarding patrolling arrangements along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in the India-China border areas.

The border standoff between India and China began in eastern Ladakh along the LAC in 2020, sparked by Chinese military actions. This incident led to prolonged tensions between the two nations, significantly straining their relations.

Spokesperson of MFA: The Chinese and Indian troops are implementing the resolutions that the two sides reached on issues concerning the border area, which is going smoothly at the moment. pic.twitter.com/iB7mWPQUfs

— Yu Jing (@ChinaSpox_India) November 5, 2024

Earlier in the day, the spokesperson of the Chinese Embassy in India announced on the social media platform, X, “The Chinese and Indian troops are implementing the resolutions that the two sides reached on issues concerning the border area, which is going smoothly at the moment”.

Chinese Ambassador to India Xu Feihong had also earlier said that he hoped the bilateral ties would move forward smoothly and ties between both countries would not be restricted or interrupted by specific disagreements.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

U.S. State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller. File.
| Photo Credit: AP

The United States has said that it welcomes any reduction in tension along the India-China border and noted that it has been briefed by New Delhi in this regard.

“We are closely following the developments [between India and China]. We understand that both countries have taken initial steps to withdraw troops from friction points along the Line of Actual Control. We welcome any reduction in tensions along the border,” State Department Spokesperson Matthew Miller told reporters at his daily news conference on Tuesday (October 29, 2024).

Responding to a question, Mr. Miller said that the U.S. has played no role in this.

“We have talked to our Indian partners and been briefed on it, but we did not play any role in this resolution,” Mr. Miller said.