India and China have agreed to push talks on an “early and substantial harvest” of boundary delimitation and border management. The two countries will also set up two new military hotlines in the eastern and middle sectors and add two meeting points for military commanders. They also agreed to hold a meeting on trans-border rivers next month.

The decisions came after the 25th round of Special Representative-level talks between National Security Adviser Ajit Doval and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Beijing on Tuesday. Both sides described the meeting as a candid and in-depth exchange on the boundary question. The Indian Ministry of External Affairs and the Chinese Foreign Ministry released statements on Wednesday outlining eight outcomes and areas of consensus.

India and China reaffirmed their commitment to follow the guidance of leaders of both countries. They also agreed to maintain peace and stability in the border areas. The two sides said they wanted to create an atmosphere for healthy and steady development of bilateral relations.

The two countries also stressed the need to move forward with negotiations on a framework for settling the boundary dispute. The talks will follow the Agreement on Political Parameters and Guiding Principles for Settlement of the China-India Boundary Question signed in 2005. They will also take into account the consensus reached during earlier Special Representative-level talks. The goal remains a fair, reasonable and mutually acceptable solution.

As part of the third outcome, the Expert Group on Boundary Delimitation and the Working Group on Border Management under the Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination on India-China Border Affairs, or WMCC, will advance discussions on an “Early and Substantial Harvest” in their respective areas. The first task for both groups will be to finalise their Terms of Reference.

The two groups were planned earlier. During talks between Doval and Wang in New Delhi on August 19, 2025, the two sides had agreed to create an expert group under the WMCC to explore an early harvest in boundary delimitation. They had also agreed to establish a working group under the WMCC to improve border management.

The fourth outcome focused on handling situations along the Line of Actual Control. The two sides agreed that any situation on the ground would be addressed quickly through existing diplomatic and military channels. These include the WMCC, local commander-level meetings and other agreed mechanisms. The aim is to resolve outstanding issues and prevent misunderstanding or miscalculation along the LAC. The sides also discussed ways to improve their understanding of the LAC in suitable areas for better border management.

India and China also agreed to strengthen their border communication systems. The two sides agreed to add two meeting points for General Level Mechanism and Senior Highest Military Commander meetings. They also agreed to establish two additional border military hotline channels in the eastern and middle sectors.

Last year, the two countries had agreed to establish general-level mechanisms in the eastern and middle sectors. The eastern sector covers Arunachal Pradesh, while the middle sector covers Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand. These mechanisms will work alongside the existing arrangement in the western sector covering Ladakh.

The sixth outcome dealt with cooperation in border areas. Both sides noted progress in trans-border cooperation. India appreciated China’s efforts to increase the number of batches of Indian officials participating in the Kailash-Mansarovar Yatra in China’s Tibet Autonomous Region. Both countries also welcomed the reopening of three designated border trading points.

India and China agreed to strengthen exchanges and cooperation in border trade, pilgrimage and other areas. They said they wanted to work together to create an atmosphere of dialogue, peace, consultation and cooperation in the border regions. The Chinese Foreign Ministry referred to the pilgrimage destinations as Mount Gang Renpoche and Lake Mapam Yun Tso in the Xizang Autonomous Region of China.

The two sides also agreed to hold the next meeting of the China-India Expert-Level Mechanism on Trans-border Rivers in September. They will continue discussions on issues such as hydrological data sharing and the renewal of relevant memorandums of understanding. The issue is important for the Brahmaputra, where timely exchange of hydrological information is crucial for effective river management.

The eighth outcome was an agreement to hold the 26th round of Special Representative-level talks in India in 2027. The latest decisions mark another effort by India and China to strengthen communication along the border while keeping negotiations on the boundary question moving forward. The new hotlines, additional military meeting points and expert-level discussions are expected to provide more channels for addressing issues on the ground and reducing the risk of misunderstandings.