India, China to advance boundary talks for ‘early harvest’, set up 2 new hotlines, 2 more meeting points

India and China have agreed to advance discussions on boundary delimitation and border management, with the aim of achieving an "early and substantial harvest." The two countries have established two new border military hotlines in the eastern and middle sectors, as well as two new meeting points for military commanders. They also agreed to hold a trans-border river meeting next month.

These steps are part of eight outcomes and a consensus reached after the 25th round of Special Representative-level talks between India's National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Beijing. The sides reaffirmed their commitment to maintaining peace and stability along the border, and to advancing negotiations for a fair, reasonable, and mutually acceptable solution.

They also discussed ways to improve border management measures, including the establishment of additional meeting points and military hotlines. The two sides also agreed to strengthen exchanges and cooperation in areas such as border trade, pilgrimage, and border trade. The meeting of the China-India Expert-Level Mechanism on Trans-border Rivers is scheduled for September, with a view to maintaining communication on issues such as hydrological data sharing and the renewal of relevant memorandums of understanding. The 26th round of Special Representatives-level talks is set to take place in India in 2027.