National Security Adviser (NSA) Ajit Doval met Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi at Hyderabad House in New Delhi on Monday, ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s planned trip to China for the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit. The meeting comes at a time when both nations are seeking to consolidate a fragile but improving phase in bilateral relations post 2020 Galwan Valley conflict.
India-China border talks
In his remarks, Doval highlighted a positive shift in the atmosphere between India and China. “There has been an upward trend. Borders have been quiet. There has been peace and tranquillity,” he said, noting that engagements between the two countries have become “more substantial”. Doval attributed this progress to the leadership of both nations, particularly following discussions at Kazan in October last year.
Speaking on India-China border tensions, Yi said, “We are heartened to see the stability that is now restored on the borders.” “We had a very good 23rd round of special representatives talks at the end of last year. At that meeting, we reached a new and important consensus on the management of disagreements, stabilising the borders, and moving toward a settlement. We identified specific goals and formed a working framework. We are heartened to see the stability that is now restored on the borders. Mr Doval, I appreciate your effort that you made as special representative of the Indian side. Now the bilateral relationship is facing an important opportunity of improvement and growth.”
Special representative talks in focus
The NSA also underlined the significance of the 24th round of Special Representative (SR)-level talks on the boundary issue, which he described as carrying “special importance” in light of Modi’s upcoming visit. “I’m very hopeful that, like the last one, this 24th Special Representative Level Talks will be equally successful,” he remarked.
The discussions between Doval and Wang are expected to set the tone for Modi’s participation in the SCO Summit.
Speaking on India-China relation, the Chinese Foreign Minister said, “I am very pleased to meet you again in New Delhi for this round of talks between the special representatives of China and India on the boundary question. The setbacks we experienced in the past few years were not in the interests of the people of our two countries. And then in October last year, President Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Modi had an important meeting in Kazan. That meeting pointed the direction for the development of our bilateral relations and provided impetus for the proper settlement of the boundary question…”