Doval and Wang Hold 25th Round of Boundary Talks in Beijing

National Security Advisor Ajit Doval met Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Beijing on August 25 for the 25th round of Special Representatives talks on the India-China boundary question. The mechanism, established in 2003, addresses the 3,488-kilometre disputed border.

Before the formal session Doval called on Chinese Vice-President Han Zheng. The two discussed ways to strengthen peace and tranquility along the border and to improve relations across economic, political and multilateral channels, according to the Indian Embassy in Beijing.

Han Zheng, quoted by Xinhua, said the two countries should handle relations from a strategic and long-term perspective and implement the consensus reached by their leaders. He called for enhanced mutual trust, expanded cooperation, close multilateral coordination and proper management of differences.

Doval told his Chinese counterparts that India and China, as the world’s two most populous and fastest-growing major economies, have a historic opportunity for cooperation. He said India stands ready to deepen mutually beneficial work, address the boundary question properly and make new progress in bilateral ties.

The talks took place under the strategic guidance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Xi Jinping. Both sides noted progress in implementing the consensus reached at their meetings in Kazan in October 2024 and in Tianjin in August 2025. They expressed satisfaction at the steady resumption of people-to-people exchanges, including the Kailash Manasarovar Yatra and border trade through three designated passes.

Chinese statements described the discussions as comprehensive and friendly. Wang Yi said China is ready to work with India to approach relations from a strategic height, strengthen communication, enhance mutual understanding, eliminate differences and become good neighbours and partners. Beijing referred to the goal of realising the "dance of the dragon and the elephant."

Both sides discussed advancing boundary delimitation negotiations, strengthening border management and control, improving institutional mechanisms and promoting cross-border cooperation. The Indian side underlined that peace and tranquility in the border areas remains essential for the continued development of the bilateral relationship.

The next round of Special Representatives talks is scheduled to be held in India in 2027. The current meeting comes weeks before Xi Jinping’s expected visit to India for the BRICS summit scheduled for September 12, his first visit in seven years.

The boundary dispute has remained unresolved for decades. Military standoffs in recent years, particularly after 2020, had strained ties. Gradual disengagement and confidence-building measures have allowed limited normalisation. The Special Representatives mechanism remains the primary political channel for seeking a long-term settlement.

No specific new agreements on delimitation were announced. The focus stayed on maintaining the current momentum, expanding practical cooperation and keeping differences from spilling into other areas of the relationship. Officials on both sides framed the talks as constructive and forward-looking.

Trade between the two countries continues at high levels despite the unresolved border. Multilateral platforms such as BRICS and the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation provide additional venues for engagement. The coming BRICS summit in India will offer another opportunity for the leaders to assess progress.

Doval’s two-day visit to Beijing therefore served both as a stocktaking exercise and as preparation for higher-level contact. The public statements from both capitals struck a measured tone that prioritised stability over rapid resolution of the core territorial disagreement.