Expert Explains | India-China boundary talks: Some progress, but a long road ahead
The 25th round of talks between India and China has resulted in a welcome eight-point consensus, which is a step forward before the anticipated visit of President Xi Jinping for the BRICS Summit. This agreement centers around maintaining peace and tranquility in border regions and advancing negotiations on a framework for settling the boundary issue based on prior agreements.
The talks have led to the formation of an Expert Group and Working Group to explore an "early harvest" of boundary delimitation in specific sectors and ensure effective border management.
In 1992, the Joint Working Group on the Boundary Question decided on confidence-building measures (CBMs) including border personnel meetings (BPMs). Following the 1993 Border Peace and Tranquillity Agreement (BPTA), an Expert Group of Diplomatic and Military Officials (EG) was created, which later evolved into the Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination on India-China Border Affairs (WMCC) in 2012.
Previous attempts at BPMs at Lipulekh, Dichu, and Madan Ridge faced challenges such as lack of infrastructure, adverse weather conditions, and contentious site choices. The roadmap for additional BPMs at Wacha/Kibithu, Wacha/Kibithu, Daulat Beg Oldie (DBO), Tianwendian (TWD), and Chushul–Moldo meeting points has contributed to direct communication between the militaries, along with hotlines in the Eastern and Middle sectors.
Written by urgent.news from The Indian Express's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
