'Peace and tranquillity key on border': Doval, Wang hold talks to reset India-China ties ahead of BRICS 2026

India and China on Tuesday held the 25th round of talks between their Special Representatives on the boundary question, with and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi stressing the need to consolidate peace along the border and build on the recent improvement in bilateral ties. The high-level dialogue comes at a key juncture, with the two countries seeking to stabilise relations after years of tensions triggered by the 2020 Galwan Valley clash and the prolonged military standoff in eastern Ladakh. The talks also assume importance ahead of the BRICS summit scheduled to be held in New Delhi on September 12 and 13.

In his opening remarks, Doval said the improvement in India-China relations over the past year has been directly linked to both sides maintaining peace and tranquillity in the border areas. "I am very happy we are here for the 25th round of talks which are very important, particularly in the wake of the BRICS summit to happen shortly," Doval said. He said both countries were working in accordance with the "clear and positive" guidance provided by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping during their recent interactions.

"We meet in keeping with the guidance of our leaders, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Xi Jinping, who have given clear and positive direction to our relationship both at Kazan and Tianjin," Doval said. The reference was to the meetings between Pm Modi and Xi on the sidelines of the BRICS summit in Kazan in 2024 and the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit in Tianjin last year.

Doval said bilateral ties had been steadily moving towards normalcy during the past year, following the prolonged tensions in eastern Ladakh. "The normalcy we have witnessed in our relationship has been a direct result of both sides maintaining peace and tranquillity in the border areas," he said. He added that the two sides had held extensive discussions on ways to reinforce and consolidate efforts to maintain peace and tranquillity along the border.

"We have extensively talked about it today just to see how to effectively reinforce and further consolidate our efforts to maintain peace and tranquillity in the border areas," he added. The remarks come against the backdrop of continuing differences over the boundary question, including China's claims over Arunachal Pradesh, which Beijing refers to as South Tibet.

Doval also pointed to developments in people-to-people contacts as evidence of improving ties between the two countries. "The successful conduct of Kailash Manasarovar Yatra via Nathu La and resumption of our traditional border trade via all the three passes brought tangible benefits for our people, particularly people living in the border areas," he said. The resumption of these activities has provided visible signs of greater engagement after years of disruption in several areas of India-China relations.

Wang Yi, who is also China's Special Representative for the boundary talks, said the India-China relationship now carries significance beyond the bilateral sphere. "It is important for us to step up communication, to enhance mutual trust, to remove disturbances and overcome obstacles. We need to be good friends that enjoy good neighbourliness and be good partners that contribute to each other's success," he added.

Wang said Beijing was looking to add fresh momentum to bilateral relations while continuing discussions on the boundary issue. "I look forward to continuing to have in-depth exchange of views with you on issues of shared interest to better understand each other and to properly handle the boundary question, to not only maintain peace and tranquillity in the border area but also inject new impetus for the bilateral relationship," he said.

He added that India and China had remained in regular contact through diplomatic and military channels on boundary-related matters while implementing the guidance provided by Modi and Xi. Describing his talks with Doval as "very in-depth and candid," Wang expressed hope that the two sides would be able to arrive at "new consensus".

The timing of the talks has added significance because the BRICS summit is scheduled to take place in New Delhi on September 12 and 13. Xi Jinping is widely expected to attend the summit, although China has not yet officially confirmed his participation. Officials on both sides remain optimistic about a possible visit. If Xi travels to India, the BRICS summit could provide an opportunity for him to meet Prime Minister Modi and discuss steps to further stabilise and strengthen bilateral relations.

Relations between New Delhi and Beijing deteriorated sharply after the Galwan Valley clash in 2020, followed by a prolonged military standoff in eastern Ladakh. Since then, the two countries have undertaken a series of measures aimed at reducing tensions and restoring stability along the border. The recent improvement in relations has created space for renewed diplomatic engagement on wider bilateral issues.

The latest Special Representatives talks are therefore being closely watched for indications of how the two sides intend to manage the unresolved boundary question while taking forward the broader process of normalising ties.

The previous round of Special Representatives talks took place in August last year. During that meeting, India and China held what was described as candid and in-depth discussions on the boundary question and arrived at several common understandings. The 25th round now provides another platform for both sides to assess progress, address outstanding concerns and explore ways to sustain the broader improvement in India-China relations.