India, China hold border talks, plan next round in 2027

China and India on Tuesday agreed to continue dialogue and work towards a “fair, reasonable and mutually acceptable settlement” of their border issue following talks between senior diplomats in Beijing.

The world’s two most populous nations, both nuclear powers, share a roughly 3,800-km (2,400-mile), largely undemarcated and disputed border in the Himalayas.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and India’s National Security Advisor Ajit Doval held “comprehensive, in-depth, friendly and candid” discussions on border affairs and bilateral ties, China’s foreign ministry said in a statement.

Wang said China-India relations were no longer only of bilateral importance but also carried global and strategic significance. He said the two neighbours should strengthen communication and reduce their differences.

The Indian Embassy in China said in a post on X that the two sides reviewed bilateral ties and discussed ways to further expand cooperation while maintaining stability and peace in border areas.

China-India ties have gradually improved in recent years following a deadly 2020 border clash. The clash led to a four-year military standoff before the two sides reached a disengagement agreement in October 2024.

Last year, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited China for the first time in seven years, signalling a thaw in relations. More recently, a fresh border-related dispute triggered sharp diplomatic exchanges between the two rivals.

“Both sides should learn from historical experience, place the border issue in an appropriate position in bilateral relations, and move forward without stagnation, regression, or deviation,” Wang was quoted as telling Doval at Tuesday’s meeting.

China and India have agreed to hold the next round of border talks in India in 2027, the Chinese statement added.