India and China reached an eight-point consensus after the 25th round of talks. Key outcomes include advancing discussions for an ‘Early and Substantial Harvest’ of boundary delimitation and adding new military meeting points and hotlines.
The Expert Group on Boundary Delimitation and Working Group on Border Management will respectively advance discussions on an Early and Substantial Harvest of boundary delimitation, the Ministry of External Affairs said on Friday, stating that this was among eight points of outcomes after the 25th round of talks between Special Representatives of India and China on the boundary question.
Answering queries during a media briefing, MEA Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said a detailed consensus outcome, which was negotiated between the two sides, has been put out. “The two sides underlined during the talks that their commitment to advancing negotiations on a framework for the settlement of the boundary question in accordance with the agreement on political parameters and guiding principles for settlement of India-China boundary questions signed in 2005, and the consensus reached in subsequent SR talks in pursuit of a fair, reasonable, and mutually acceptable solution, it was also decided that the expert group on boundary delimitation under the WMCC would advance discussions on an early and substantial harvest of boundary delimitation,” he said.
Key Outcomes from the 25th Round of Talks
India and China agreed to two additional meeting points for holding the General Level Mechanism or the Senior Highest Military Commander meeting (SHMC) with the objective of improving border management measures. Two additional channels of border military hotline in the Eastern and Middle Sectors have also been agreed. There are among the ‘Eight Points of Outcomes and Consensus’ reached during the talks between Special Representatives of India and China on the Boundary Question. National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi co-chaired the 25th round of the Special Representatives’ Talks in Beijing on Tuesday.
Ministry of External Affairs said in a release on Wednesday that the two leaders had “a candid and in-depth exchange of views” on the India-China boundary question and reached eight points of outcomes and consensus. The release said that the Expert Group on Boundary Delimitation and the Working Group on Border Management under the WMCC would respectively advance discussions on an Early and Substantial Harvest of boundary delimitation and Border Management. The first task for both these groups would be to agree on their respective Terms of Reference.
It said the two sides agreed that any situation on the ground would be addressed promptly through existing diplomatic and military channels, including the WMCC, local commander-level meetings and other agreed mechanisms, “to resolve outstanding issues and avoid misunderstanding and miscalculation “The two sides discussed ways to improve understanding of LAC in appropriate areas, for better border management,” it added.
“The two sides reaffirmed their commitment to uphold the guidance received from the leaders of the two countries, maintain peace and tranquility in the border areas and create an atmosphere for healthy and steady development of bilateral relations,” the release said.
Framework for Settlement and Border Management
“The two sides underlined their commitment to advancing negotiations on a framework for the settlement of the boundary question in accordance with the Agreement on Political Parameters and Guiding Principles for Settlement of the India-China Boundary Question signed in 2005 and the consensus reached in subsequent SR Talks in pursuit of a fair, reasonable and mutually acceptable solution…”
“…With the objective to improve the border management measures, an additional two meeting points were agreed for holding the General Level Mechanism/ Senior Highest Military Commander meeting (SHMC). Similarly two additional channels of border military hotline in the Eastern and Middle Sectors were agreed,” the release added.
Trans-Border Cooperation and Future Engagements
Both sides noted the progress on trans-border cooperation. The Indian side appreciated the efforts made by the Chinese side to increase the number of batches of Indian official pilgrimage Kailash-Manasarovar Yatra (KMY) in the Tibet Autonomous Region of China. Both sides appreciated the reopening of the three designated border trading points.
The two sides agreed to strengthen exchanges and cooperation in border trade, pilgrimage and other areas, with a view to working together to create an atmosphere featuring dialogue, peace, consultation and cooperation in the border areas.
The two sides agreed to hold the next meeting of the India-China Expert-Level Mechanism on Trans-border Rivers in September and maintain communication on issues including hydrological data sharing, and renewal of the relevant MoUs. The 26th round of SR Talks will be held in India next year. (ANI)
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