India and China on Tuesday discussed steps to maintain peace and stability along their border and improve bilateral relations. National Security Adviser Ajit Doval, who is on a two-day visit to China, met Chinese Vice President Han Zheng in Beijing. The meeting took place ahead of the 25th round of talks on the India-China boundary question.

Doval, who also serves as India’s Special Representative on the India-China Boundary Question, and Han discussed ways to strengthen peace and tranquillity in the border areas. They also reviewed measures to improve relations between the two countries in economic, political and multilateral areas. The discussions followed the broader understanding reached between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping.

The Embassy of India in China shared details of the meeting in a post on X. It said, “On 25 August, NSA and Special Representative on the India-China Boundary Question, Ajit Doval called on Han Zheng, Vice President of the People’s Republic of China.”

According to the Indian Embassy, the meeting took place before the 25th round of Special Representative-level talks on the India-China border. Doval and Han focused on maintaining peace and tranquillity along the border. They also discussed the need to further strengthen bilateral relations across several areas.

Doval is scheduled to hold the 25th round of boundary talks later on Tuesday with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi. The meeting comes after Doval and Wang held discussions in June on the sidelines of the BRICS National Security Advisers’ meeting in New Delhi. Their latest engagement is part of continued diplomatic efforts by both sides to improve ties and address outstanding issues.

The talks come amid a gradual improvement in India-China relations after years of tensions along the border. India and China have taken several steps towards restoring normal ties through high-level diplomatic engagements. The two sides have also maintained communication on issues related to the border and wider bilateral cooperation.

During their meeting in June, the Indian Ministry of External Affairs described the discussions between Doval and Wang as “constructive and forward-looking.” MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said, “The two sides reviewed recent developments in bilateral relations and noted progress towards gradual normalisation. NSA underlined that stable, predictable and constructive bilateral relations contribute to building trust and better understanding between the two sides. The discussions were constructive and forward-looking.”

Doval’s current visit comes as India and China continue efforts to build on the positive momentum created by meetings between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping. The two leaders have met on the sidelines of major international summits in recent years. These engagements have focused on improving communication and stabilising ties between the two countries.

Modi and Xi met at the SCO Summit in Tianjin last year. During the meeting, both leaders welcomed the positive momentum and steady progress in bilateral relations since their previous meeting in Kazan in October 2024. They also reaffirmed that India and China are development partners rather than rivals. The two leaders stressed that differences between the countries should not turn into disputes.

The Indian government has continued to underline the importance of a stable and predictable relationship with China. Border peace remains an important part of this process. India has maintained that peace and tranquillity along the border are essential for the broader development of bilateral ties.

The Ministry of External Affairs also highlighted the wider importance of cooperation between the two countries after the Modi-Xi meeting. It said, “A stable relationship and cooperation between India and China and their 2.8 billion peoples on the basis of mutual respect, mutual interest and mutual sensitivity are necessary for the growth and development of the two countries, as well as for a multipolar world and a multi-polar Asia befitting the trends of the 21st Century.”

The latest meeting between Doval and Han, followed by the boundary talks with Wang Yi, signals continued diplomatic engagement between New Delhi and Beijing. India and China are seeking to consolidate the progress made towards normalising relations while keeping border issues at the centre of their discussions. The focus remains on maintaining peace along the border and creating conditions for stronger ties across economic, political and multilateral platforms.