India and China advance border delimitation talks in Beijing

National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi met in Beijing on August 25, 2026, for the 25th round of Special Representatives talks on the India-China boundary question. The two sides discussed advancing delimitation of parts of the disputed border and ways to keep the Line of Actual Control peaceful.

Doval arrived the day before for a two-day visit. Before the formal talks he called on Chinese Vice President Han Zheng. The Indian Embassy in Beijing reported that they discussed strengthening peace and tranquillity in the border areas and improving ties in economic, political and multilateral forums, in line with consensus reached by the two countries' leaders.

Doval told Wang that peace and tranquillity along the LAC remain essential for continued progress in bilateral relations. He noted that the normalcy seen over the past year stemmed directly from both sides maintaining calm on the frontier. The talks took place under the strategic guidance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Xi Jinping, who had given clear and positive direction at meetings in Kazan in October 2024 and Tianjin in 2025.

Wang described the exchange as in-depth and candid. He said China and India should view their relationship from a strategic and long-term perspective and work as good neighbours. The Chinese side expressed readiness to strengthen communication and pursue mutually beneficial partnership. Both sides reviewed progress on implementing the leaders' consensus and expressed satisfaction at the steady resumption of people-to-people exchanges, including the Kailash Manasarovar Yatra and border trade through three designated passes.

The boundary mechanism was established in 2003 to address the 3,488-kilometre disputed border comprehensively. The 25th round comes ahead of the BRICS summit scheduled in New Delhi on September 12-13, where Xi is expected to visit. The next Special Representatives meeting is set for India in 2027.

Differences over the border and Arunachal Pradesh continue to figure in the relationship. Recent reports of Chinese military posturing in Upper Subansiri had circulated before the talks. Doval emphasised reinforcing efforts to consolidate peace and tranquillity. The two sides also discussed broader bilateral, regional and international issues of mutual interest.

India has maintained that progress on the boundary question and overall ties move together. China has often sought to place the boundary issue in the context of the larger relationship. The latest round signals continued effort to stabilise the frontier while expanding cooperation elsewhere.

Official readouts from both capitals confirmed agreement to keep seeking a political settlement of the boundary question in the context of the two countries' overall and long-term interests.