NSA Ajit Doval. File.
| Photo Credit: ANI

National Security Advisor, Ajit Doval shakes hands with Chinese Foreign Minister, Wang Yi.
| Photo Credit: PTI

The Special Representatives of India and China on border issues will meet in Bejing on Wednesday to discuss the restoration of bilateral ties following the October 21 agreement to disengage troops in eastern Ladakh.

As agreed, Director of the Office of the Central Commission for Foreign Affairs Wang Yi and India’s National Security Adviser Ajit Doval will hold the 23rd meeting of Special Representatives for the China-India Boundary Question in Beijing on December 18, 2024, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian announced in Beijing on Monday (December 16, 2024).

Also Read | More debates on China and LAC agreement post-2020 than earlier: Jaishankar defends government against charges of secrecy

According to informed sources, Mr. Doval will arrive in Beijing on Tuesday (December 17, 2024) to attend the crucial talks, which were expected to provide a way forward for the two countries to normalise the relations.

Constituted in 2003 to comprehensively address the dispute of the India-China border spanning to 3488 kms, the SRs mechanism over the years met 22 times.

The SRs meeting would take place after a gap of five years. The last meeting was held in 2019. 

While success eluded it in resolving the boundary dispute, officials on both sides regard it as a very promising, useful and handy tool in addressing the recurring tensions between the two countries.

Except for trade, relations between the two countries were frozen since April 2020 when the Chinese moved large numbers of troops towards the Line of Actual Control (LAC), sparking one of the longest military standoffs between the two countries.

Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri on October 21 said in Delhi that the agreement was finalised following negotiations over the past several weeks and that it would lead to a resolution of the issues that arose in 2020.

Subsequently, the Chinese Foreign Ministry confirmed the agreement on October 22, 2024, saying “The two sides have reached resolutions on relevant matters, which China speaks highly of. Going forward, China will work with India to implement these resolutions”.

Also Read | PM Modi, President Xi welcome border pact, seek to rebuild ties

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping met in Kazan on October 24, 2024 on the sidelines of the BRICS summit during which they endorsed the agreement on patrolling and disengagement along the LAC in eastern Ladakh. They instructed the Special Representatives for the boundary mechanism to meet to discuss further steps.

External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and his Chinese counterpart Mr. Yi met on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Brazil followed by the Working Mechanism for Consultation & Coordination on China-India Border Affairs (WMCC).

National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval and US NSA Jake Sullivan during a meeting, in New Delhi, Monday, June 17, 2024.
| Photo Credit: PTI

Amidst tension between India and the U.S. over the alleged targeting of Sikh separatists by India, National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan spoke over the phone with his Indian counterpart Ajit Doval during which they discussed regional security developments, bilateral issues including defence cooperation.

The two leaders also discussed the need for further efforts to ensure stability in the Indo-Pacific region and globally, the White House said on Wednesday (October 31, 2024) in a readout of the call.

“They welcomed progress in the bilateral partnership, including through the upcoming Initiative on Critical and Emerging Technology (iCET) Intersessional and Indian Ocean Dialogue. They also discussed further opportunities for closer collaboration in key domains, including clean energy supply chains and defence cooperation, it said.

The two leaders spoke over the phone on Wednesday.

“They also discussed further opportunities for closer collaboration in key domains, including clean energy supply chains and defence cooperation,” said the White House.

Early this week, the U.S. had said that Canada’s allegations against Union Home Minister Amit Shah are “concerning”.

“The allegations made by the government of Canada are concerning, and we will continue to consult with the Canadian government about those allegations,” State Department Spokesperson Matthew Miller told reporters on Thursday.

Canada’s Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister David Morrison had “confirmed” a leaked Washington Post report alleging that Mr. Shah was behind a campaign to target Khalistani separatists in Canada.

In response to a question Mr. Morrison said he had “confirmed” Mr. Shah’s name to The Washington Post.

“The journalist called me and asked if it was that person. I confirmed it was that person,” he said.

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

“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,” Mr. Miller said.

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.

New Delhi:

National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval on Friday praised Israel for strongly defending its borders amidst sharp escalation by Hamas and other terror outfits and explained how its harnessing of technology thwarted the evil designs of a ‘gang of rivals’.

Addressing the 21st BSF Investiture Ceremony, NSA Ajit Doval said: “Some days ago, there were a series of missile attacks on Israel from Iran. Out of 1500 missiles, 99 per cent of missiles were stopped while only two to three could hit its territory. This is the strength of technology.”

Further explaining the importance of intelligence gathering, he said that given the size of the country and its vast population, India was ‘better placed’ in mounting defence of its borders.

He said that the lack of ‘tactical intelligence’ proved to be the major reason for the October 7 attack on Israel, which resulted in hundreds of Hamas infiltrators breaching its territory and massacring its citizens.

“We are fortunate to have a huge force, a bustling population on our borders. Villagers here, familiar to terrains and local languages, can serve as eye and ear for the forces, in intelligence gathering,” he told the audience.

NSA Doval lauded the Border Security Forces (BSF) for doing a splendid and impressive job in guarding the nation’s frontiers and also helping in internal security on special occasions.

On a lighter note, Mr Doval also recalled the mantra of Chanakya, the famed strategist and said, “You can’t control the borders where the local population is hostile to you.”

Dishing out tips on security management in border areas, he said: “You must befriend the border population. Locals shouldn’t feel that people in uniforms are here to control them, to impose restrictions on them, to make their lives more regulated and complicated. It should be rather friendly and warm.”

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

Jerusalem:

National Security Adviser Ajit Doval has called on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to discuss regional developments and the urgent need to address the issue of humanitarian assistance to Gaza which is facing catastrophic levels of food insecurity.

“Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met today with Indian National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and updated him on recent developments in the fighting in the Gaza Strip,” the Israeli Prime Minister posted on X from his official handle.

The Director of the National Security Council, the Prime Minister’s Foreign Policy Advisor and the Indian Ambassador to Israel also participated in the meeting. pic.twitter.com/epJd1CsVDW

— Prime Minister of Israel (@IsraeliPM) March 11, 2024

More than 30,000 Palestinians were estimated to have been killed during the operation in Gaza, which Israel launched in response to the October 7 attack by Hamas militants that left approximately 1,200 Israelis dead and about 250 taken hostage.

The sides also discussed the effort to release the hostages and the issue of humanitarian assistance,” he said.

The Israel-Hamas conflict has created a growing humanitarian crisis, and the UN has warned that at least 576,000 people across the Gaza Strip – one-quarter of the population – are facing catastrophic levels of food insecurity.

Western countries have pressed Israel to expand land deliveries by facilitating more routes and opening additional crossings.

Mr Doval also met his Israeli counterpart Tzakhi Hanegbi, who was also present during the meeting with Prime Minister Netanyahu.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been constantly in touch with the important leaders in the region, such as the UAE, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Jordan, and is actively involved in discussions to promote peace and stability in the region.

India has supported efforts to provide necessary humanitarian assistance to the Palestinian population in Gaza sending consignments of essential items.
 

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

Jerusalem:

National Security Adviser Ajit Doval has called on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to discuss regional developments and the urgent need to address the issue of humanitarian assistance to Gaza which is facing catastrophic levels of food insecurity.

“Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met today with Indian National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and updated him on recent developments in the fighting in the Gaza Strip,” the Israeli Prime Minister posted on X from his official handle.

The Director of the National Security Council, the Prime Minister’s Foreign Policy Advisor and the Indian Ambassador to Israel also participated in the meeting. pic.twitter.com/epJd1CsVDW

— Prime Minister of Israel (@IsraeliPM) March 11, 2024

More than 30,000 Palestinians were estimated to have been killed during the operation in Gaza, which Israel launched in response to the October 7 attack by Hamas militants that left approximately 1,200 Israelis dead and about 250 taken hostage.

The sides also discussed the effort to release the hostages and the issue of humanitarian assistance,” he said.

The Israel-Hamas conflict has created a growing humanitarian crisis, and the UN has warned that at least 576,000 people across the Gaza Strip – one-quarter of the population – are facing catastrophic levels of food insecurity.

Western countries have pressed Israel to expand land deliveries by facilitating more routes and opening additional crossings.

Mr Doval also met his Israeli counterpart Tzakhi Hanegbi, who was also present during the meeting with Prime Minister Netanyahu.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been constantly in touch with the important leaders in the region, such as the UAE, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Jordan, and is actively involved in discussions to promote peace and stability in the region.

India has supported efforts to provide necessary humanitarian assistance to the Palestinian population in Gaza sending consignments of essential items.
 

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

New Delhi:

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met with National Security Advisor Ajit Doval on Monday and updated him on the recent developments in the fighting in the Gaza Strip.

The two leaders “also discussed the effort to release the hostages and the issue of humanitarian assistance”, the official handle of the Prime Minister of Israel posted on X.

Prime Minister Netanyahu met with “Indian National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and updated him on recent developments in the fighting in the Gaza Strip”, it said, sharing a photograph of the meeting.

The Director of the National Security Council, the Prime Minister’s Foreign Policy Advisor and the Indian Ambassador to Israel also participated in the meeting, it said.

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