India, China assess situation along LAC, discuss early resumption of cross-border cooperation

The two sides also agreed to work together to make substantial preparation for the next meeting of the Special Representatives (SR), which will be held in India later this year

On Tuesday, India and China engaged in diplomatic talks in Beijing, in what the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) called a "positive and constructive" atmosphere. The meeting was part of continued efforts to manage and resolve border disputes.

In an official statement, the MEA said, “The 33rd meeting of the Working Mechanism for Consultation & Coordination on India-China Border Affairs (WMCC) was held on 25 March 2025 in Beijing. The Indian delegation was led by Gourangalal Das, joint secretary (East Asia), and the Chinese delegation was led by Hong Liang, director general of the boundary and oceanic affairs department of the Chinese ministry of foreign affairs.”

According to the statement, the officials of the two nations reviewed the situation along the Line of Actual Control in the India-China border areas.

“Peace and tranquility on the border are critical for the smooth development of overall bilateral relations. The two sides explored various measures and proposals to give effect to the decisions taken during the 23rd meeting of the Special Representatives on the India-China boundary question in Beijing in December 2024 and to advance effective border management,” it said.

The two sides agreed to maintain and strengthen diplomatic and military mechanisms, the statement added further. They also exchanged views on early resumption of cross-border cooperation and exchanges, including on trans-border rivers and Kailash-Mansarovar Yatra.

The two sides also agreed to work together to make substantial preparation for the next meeting of the Special Representatives (SR), which will be held in India later this year.

Earlier, on March 16, Prime Minister Narendra Modi conveyed optimism about India’s ties with China, emphasising the value of learning from and understanding one another.

"Look, the relationship between India and China isn't something new. Both nations have ancient cultures and civilisations. Even in the modern world, they play a significant role. If you look at historical records, for centuries, India and China have learned from each other. Together, they have always contributed to the global good in some way," he said in a podcast with AI researcher Lex Fridman.

He also acknowledged a return to normalcy at the border. The Prime Minister said, "It is true that there have been ongoing border disputes between us. We are now working to restore conditions to how they were before 2020. Slowly but surely, trust, enthusiasm, and energy will return. But of course, it will take some time since there's been a five-year gap."