What happened: India–China Special Representatives talks and an eight-point boundary-management consensus

India and China agreed on an eight-point consensus on boundary-management steps after India–China Special Representatives talks on the boundary question. The consensus is intended to keep the disputed border stable and to sustain momentum on longer-term boundary-related work.

The eight-point consensus highlights the following steps:

Pursuit of early boundary delimitation (clarifying which parts of the boundary line are to be delimited).An expert-level mechanism for trans-border rivers, with discussion scheduled for next month.Continuation of communications on hydrological data (shared information on river flows relevant to the border and surrounding areas).New agenda points for military-commander talks.Hotlines in the Eastern and Middle sectors to reduce misunderstandings near the Line of Actual Control.Reaffirmation of both sides’ efforts to maintain peace along the Line of Actual Control and to keep steps toward relation-normalisation moving forward.

Background: boundary management relies on confidence-building measures while boundary settlement is pending

India–China boundary management has relied on confidence-building measures (CBMs) such as communication links and military-to-military engagement to reduce risks during incidents near the Line of Actual Control. The CBM focus continues even while boundary delimitation and settlement are not fully resolved.

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