National Security Adviser Ajit Doval and China’s Wang Yi will meet in Beijing on December 18 for the 23rd round of Special Representatives talks. This meeting, occurring after a five-year hiatus, will focus on maintaining peace along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) and finding a fair and mutually acceptable solution to the ongoing boundary disputes. The last such dialogue took place in New Delhi in 2019.
The decision to revive the dialogue mechanism came after Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping met during the BRICS Summit on October 23 in Kazan, Russia. Their discussion highlighted the need to resolve the stalemate caused by the 2020 border standoff in eastern Ladakh, including the violent Galwan Valley clash. Both leaders agreed to improve bilateral relations by addressing these long-standing boundary issues.
Progress has been made recently, with both sides completing the disengagement process in Depsang and Demchok and resuming patrols after an agreement on October 21. Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal confirmed on December 7 that preparations for the Special Representatives meeting were underway. He also mentioned upcoming foreign secretary-level talks, which would determine the next steps in the de-escalation process.
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