India-China Border Dispute: Ajit Doval’s Beijing Visit Signals Fresh Push for Normalisation

New Delhi: India’s National Security Adviser Ajit Doval is set to visit China on Monday for a crucial meeting under the Special Representatives mechanism on the India-China boundary issue, as both countries continue efforts to improve bilateral ties after years of military tensions along the Line of Actual Control (LAC).

Doval is expected to hold talks with his Chinese counterpart and Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Tuesday. The meeting will mark the 25th round of Special Representatives’ discussions, a dialogue platform established in 2003 to find a framework for resolving the long-standing border dispute between the two nations.

Talks Gain Importance Ahead of Xi Jinping’s Expected India Visit

Doval’s China visit comes at a significant time as Chinese President Xi Jinping is expected to travel to India next month to attend the BRICS Summit in New Delhi.

Although there has been no official confirmation from either side, sources said Xi may participate in the summit scheduled for September 12-13. If the visit takes place, it would be Xi’s first trip to India in nearly seven years.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Xi Jinping last met in August 2025 on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Summit in China.

Border Located

The Special Representatives’ talks are being held against the backdrop of continued concerns over border management following recent tensions between Indian and Chinese troops in the Arunachal Pradesh sector of the LAC.

External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar recently reiterated that the condition of the border will play a major role in determining the future of India-China relations.

Referring to the prolonged military standoff in eastern Ladakh from 2020 to 2024, Jaishankar said the difficult phase in bilateral ties was largely linked to developments along the border.

Steps Taken to Restore Relations

After reaching an understanding to end the Ladakh military face-off in October 2024, India and China initiated several measures aimed at gradually improving bilateral relations.

The two countries have since taken steps such as restarting the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra, resuming direct flights and easing certain visa restrictions for Chinese citizens. However, despite these confidence-building measures, significant progress on troop disengagement and de-escalation along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) remains limited.

Focus on Boundary Settlement and Border Management

During the previous Special Representatives’ meeting held in New Delhi, both sides emphasized maintaining peace and stability along the border to support overall bilateral development.

The discussions also focused on creating a fair and mutually acceptable framework for resolving the boundary dispute under the 2005 agreement on political parameters and guiding principles.

Both countries had agreed to establish expert groups under the Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination (WMCC) to explore early progress on boundary issues and improve border management systems.

The latest WMCC meeting held in New Delhi on August 6 included discussions on boundary delimitation, border management, institutional mechanisms and cross-border cooperation.

The upcoming Doval-Wang Yi meeting will be closely watched for any breakthrough in the long-running India-China border negotiations.