India and China pledge to keep border channels open

India and China have agreed to continue using established diplomatic and military channels to manage their long-running border dispute, following a high-level meeting in New Delhi on August 6. The 36th session of the Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination on Border Affairs (WMCC) saw both sides review the situation along the contested Line of Actual Control (LAC) and commit to preventing misunderstandings.

The Indian delegation was led by Joint Secretary for East Asia Sujit Ghosh, while the Chinese side was headed by Director General Hou Yanqi of the Boundary and Oceanic Affairs Department. In a statement, India's Ministry of External Affairs said the talks were frank and that both sides underlined that peace and tranquillity along the border are essential for the overall development of bilateral relations. They agreed to continue using the WMCC, local military commander meetings, and other mechanisms to resolve outstanding issues and avoid miscalculation.

The discussions built on outcomes from the 24th round of Special Representatives talks held last year, where National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi had agreed to approach the...