Lahari M from New Delhi
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi arrives in India today on a two-day visit for the 24th round of Special Representatives (SR) talks on the protracted India-China boundary dispute. His visit comes at the invitation of National Security Adviser (NSA) Ajit Doval, who is India’s Special Representative on boundary issues.
According to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), Wang and Doval “will hold the 24th round of the Special Representatives’ talks on the India-China boundary question.” The dialogue is being seen as a crucial step in managing border tensions, even as both countries continue to deploy large numbers of troops along the Line of Actual Control (LAC).
Wang, who is a member of the Chinese Communist Party’s Politburo, will also meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday. The meeting assumes significance as it comes just days before Modi is scheduled to travel to China for the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit.
Before his call on the Prime Minister, the Chinese foreign minister will separately meet External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and NSA Doval. Officials said these discussions are expected to cover a broad spectrum of bilateral issues, including the situation along the LAC, trade, and the possibility of resuming commercial flight services between the two countries.
The last round of Special Representatives’ talks took place in December 2024 after a five-year gap. Talks had been suspended following the December 2019 round in New Delhi and the subsequent standoff in Eastern Ladakh in May 2020, when Chinese troops crossed into multiple locations along the LAC.
In the December 2024 round, the two sides had agreed to work towards maintaining peace and tranquillity along the border and to explore a fair and mutually acceptable solution to the boundary question. The revival of this dialogue had followed a meeting between Prime Minister Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping in Kazan, Russia.
Despite some progress, tensions along the LAC continue. Since 2020, both countries have maintained heavy troop presence and military infrastructure across the 3,488-km frontier, even though disengagement has taken place at five flashpoints—Galwan, Gogra, Hot Springs, and the north and south banks of Pangong Tso.
In November 2024, sustained diplomatic and military-level negotiations allowed limited patrolling to resume in Demchok and Depsang. However, security officials caution that there has been no significant reduction in overall troop strength or equipment deployment on either side.
Earlier this year, Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi described the LAC as “stable but sensitive.” He noted that troop levels were directly linked to trust between the two militaries. “Both sides have fortified positions and increased deployments since 2020. During winters, stability is the priority, and any changes can only come after comprehensive reviews in summer,” he said.
Defence experts argue that temporary disengagements and confidence-building measures are insufficient without a long-term political settlement. Major General Sudhakar Jee (Retd), who once commanded the Indian Army’s Trishul Division responsible for Eastern Ladakh, emphasised that India’s position remains clear: restoration of the status quo ante to pre-April 2020 conditions.
“The current profile of ‘extended stand-off’ must be rolled back. Both sides need to de-escalate, demobilise and de-induct forces within a reasonable timeframe. Protocol 2005 offers a basis for resolution. Ultimately, the 3,488-km border must be delineated on the map and demarcated on the ground to prevent future flare-ups,” he said.
The India-China boundary remains undefined, divided into eastern, middle, and western sectors, with multiple disputed areas that have triggered repeated confrontations. Analysts note that while the SR dialogue process is vital, its outcomes depend heavily on political will from both sides.
Wang Yi’s visit and his high-level engagements in New Delhi are being closely watched as an indicator of whether Beijing is willing to take tangible steps towards resolving the longest-running border dispute in Asia.
