Have China, India buried the hatchet as border talks resume after 5 years?

China and India reached a six-point consensus during critical border talks in Beijing on Wednesday. The 23rd round of Special Representatives' talks on boundary matters were led by India’s National Security Adviser Ajit Doval and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and marked the resumption of dialogue at this level after a five-year hiatus. The last meeting was held in December 2019 in Delhi.

The two sides agreed to “continue to take measures to maintain peace and tranquillity in the border areas and promote the healthy and stable development of bilateral relations”, according to a statement issued by the Chinese Foreign Ministry.

The top diplomats “reaffirmed their commitment to continue seeking a fair, reasonable, and mutually acceptable package solution to the boundary issue” and to take “positive measures to promote this process,” the statement added.

The package settlement, first agreed upon in 2005, outlines the guiding principles for resolving the border dispute.

"The special representatives provided positive directions for cross-border cooperation and exchanges," India's Ministry of External Affairs said in a press statement. "They agreed on the salience of stable, predictable and amicable India-China relations for regional and global peace and prosperity."

The consensus points also included promoting cross-border exchanges—including the resumption of Indian pilgrims' visits to Kailash Mansarovar in Tibet, a site sacred to both Hindus and Buddhists—restoring trade through the northeastern Nathu La border, and enhancing cross-border river cooperation. Both sides also agreed to hold the meeting in India in 2025.

“It is very good to see the bilateral relationship back in a structured manner,” Mike Liu, Vice President of the Centre for China and Globalization (CCG) in Beijing, tells TRT World.

Chinese Vice President Han Zheng also met Doval on Wednesday and advocated for China and India to gradually resume institutional dialogue.

Liu notes that Doval’s engagements in Beijing signal a “warming of hands” and mutual satisfaction with the progress in talks.

“These steps strengthen the basis for bilateral trust building, and it also lays a good foundation to celebrate the 75th anniversary of bilateral diplomatic relations in 2025,” he adds.

However, Liu remains cautious about reaching a comprehensive settlement of the border dispute, suggesting that both sides are likely to shift their focus towards other pressing matters.

His optimism is tempered by the recognition of persistent challenges. “Patrolling efforts will be necessary to keep disputed areas open and clean,” he says, emphasising the need for sustained dialogue and pragmatic cooperation to prevent future flare-ups.

Wednesday's discussions signal a renewed attempt by both nations to address longstanding border disputes and rebuild strained bilateral relations. It builds on progress made during the October talks between Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the BRICS Summit in Kazan, Russia.

The high-level meeting also follows the landmark October 21 agreement on disengagement and patrolling along the line of actual control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh, a region that has been at the centre of the military standoff between the two countries since 2020. This agreement was widely regarded as a breakthrough, laying the groundwork for further diplomatic engagement aimed at fostering stability and trust.

‘Kazan Spirit’ and geopolitical factors

Atul Aneja, a senior Indian journalist and strategic affairs commentator, describes the latest détente between the two Asian neighbours as a critical outcome of the Xi-Modi handshake in Kazan.

“There has been no let-up in the momentum generated by the highly consequential meeting between Prime Minister Modi and President Xi on the sidelines of the Kazan BRICS summit,” he notes.

“The October meeting in Kazan has been pivotal in driving Asia’s resurgence and thawing the frozen ties between these two civilisational states,” he adds, emphasising the significance of what he described as the “Kazan Spirit.”

Aneja also points to dynamic geopolitical factors influencing the renewed engagement between the two countries. He highlights that both Beijing and New Delhi have faced interference from the US, which has strained India-US ties under President Joe Biden.

“The American deep state’s docking of India over the killing of a Sikh separatist leader in Canada have deeply soured ties,” Aneja says, adding that Canada's and the US's refusal to act against “anti-India forces” operating within their borders has not been well received by Modi’s government.

Aneja also underscores concerns about the fall of Sheikh Hasina’s government in Bangladesh which was close to New Delhi.

The US has a vested interest in the new emerging political situation in Bangladesh where it has proposed to build a naval base at Matarbari port. This could challenge both New Delhi and Beijing.

“Tensions between China and the US have been palpable in the Pacific ocean—blared by glaring differences in the South China Sea and Taiwan.

Aneja predicts that “the normalisation of India-China ties also opens vast possibilities of joint forays by the Russia-India-China (RIC) sub-group, trilaterally as well as in the Global South.”

Opportunities beyond the border

While the boundary question remains central, both nations are exploring avenues to rebuild trust and deepen cooperation in trade, technology, and multilateral forums. Liu identified easing visa restrictions and resuming cross-border exchanges as immediate priorities.

“The low-hanging fruit will be to ease visa restrictions for students, engineers, businesspeople, and official delegates,” he says, adding that fostering people-to-people ties could bridge gaps in mutual understanding.

Despite the tensions, the two major economies have preserved their trade and business relations. In the 2023-24 fiscal year, China overtook the US to become India’s largest trading partner, with two-way commerce reaching $118.4 billion.

Aneja notes that India is keen to attract Chinese investments in sectors that do not pose security risks, while China seeks to diversify its economic engagements amid challenges in its commercial and tech ties with the West.

Both nations recognise their roles as key pillars of a multipolar world order and are leveraging platforms like BRICS and the Global South to hedge against geopolitical uncertainties in the West.

Liu also pointed to the potential for increased exchanges in areas such as Bollywood, tourism, and bilateral trade. However, he acknowledged that aligning official positions in global multilateral platforms like BRICS and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) might take longer.

As both nations prepare to celebrate the 75th anniversary of their diplomatic relationship, Liu highlighted the importance of people-to-people exchanges.

He suggested that a visa-free scheme for professionals could significantly enhance mutual alignment and foster greater collaboration.

“If both countries can agree on a 10-day visa-free scheme, it will be a win-win strategy to enable further alignment between two great nations,” he says.

Aneja echoed this sentiment, emphasising that deeper engagement with BRICS and the Global South will be crucial for India and China to navigate global turbulence and assert their interests in the evolving multipolar world order.

While challenges remain, the resumption of structured talks and the consensus achieved in Beijing signal a positive shift in China-India relations.