India-China Talks: Delimitation Mention Signals Shift Beyond LAC Tensions

India and China have signalled a possible shift in their approach to the long-running boundary dispute, with delimitation featuring in the latest talks between National Security Adviser Ajit Doval and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi. The discussions focused on the boundary question and resulted in an eight-point consensus. The reference to delimitation is significant because the two countries have traditionally concentrated on managing military tensions and maintaining stability along the Line of Actual Control (LAC).

India and China share a 3,488-km LAC, but the two sides do not have a mutually agreed alignment of the line in several areas. Unlike the Line of Control between India and Pakistan, the LAC has not been jointly delineated on the ground or through mutually accepted maps. Differences over its alignment have contributed to patrol confrontations and prolonged military deployments along various sectors of the border.

Delimitation refers to determining the precise alignment of a boundary and establishing it through agreed maps, coordinates and geographical features. This is different from disengagement, which involves troops moving away from confrontation points, and de-escalation, which focuses on reducing broader military tensions. A move towards delimitation would therefore address the underlying boundary question rather than simply managing immediate military friction.

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The latest talks took place during Doval’s visit to Beijing for the 25th round of Special Representatives’ discussions on the boundary issue. The two sides also discussed wider bilateral matters, including trade, direct flights and visas. Their consensus referred to an “early and substantial harvest”, suggesting an effort to make progress in areas where agreement could potentially be reached before addressing the most difficult parts of the dispute.

The development comes after years of heightened tensions following the 2020 Galwan Valley clash. India and China subsequently held multiple military and diplomatic discussions, eventually reaching an agreement on patrolling arrangements in Depsang and Demchok. The Special Representatives’ mechanism provides a separate diplomatic channel for addressing the broader boundary dispute, while the latest discussions indicate an effort to stabilise relations beyond immediate LAC-related tensions.

However, the mention of delimitation does not mean that the India-China boundary dispute has been settled. Both countries have previously committed to seeking a fair, reasonable and mutually acceptable solution, including through the framework established by the 2005 agreement on political parameters and guiding principles. With a possible visit by Chinese President Xi Jinping to India for the upcoming BRICS summit, the latest diplomatic engagement could provide another opportunity for the two countries to discuss their broader relationship and the difficult boundary issue.

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