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8-Point Consensus on Boundary Management
India and China jointly announce the Special Representatives (SR) dialogue on the boundary question, co-chaired by Ajit Doval and Wang Yi. The dialogue results in an 8-point consensus covering border management, diplomatic mechanisms, border trade, pilgrimage, and trans-border river cooperation.
Special Representatives Dialogue on India-China Boundary Question:
| Dimension | Key Details |
|---|---|
| Expert and Working Group | An Expert and Working Group provides for advancing discussions on an “Early and Substantial Harvest” of border management. |
| Terms of Reference | The first task of both groups is to finalise their respective Terms of Reference (ToR). |
| Border management measures agreed | Border management comprises agreement on 2 additional military meeting points and 2 additional military hotline channels in the Eastern and Middle Sectors. |
| Line of Actual Control (LAC) | The LAC is the line separating areas of actual control between India and China, and it is not a mutually demarcated international boundary. |
| LAC understanding | Both sides agree to improve understanding of the LAC in appropriate areas. |
| Diplomatic and military channels | Ground situations will be addressed through WMCC, local commander-level meetings, and other agreed mechanisms. |
| WMCC | WMCC (Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination) deals primarily with border-related management and diplomatic coordination. |
| Boundary settlement basis | Negotiations will follow the 2005 Agreement on Political Parameters and Guiding Principles for settlement of the India-China boundary question. |
| Border trade | Both sides welcome the reopening of three designated border trading points and agree to strengthen border trade and pilgrimage. |
| Kailash-Manasarovar Yatra | China agrees to increase the number of batches of Indian pilgrims. |
| Trans-border rivers mechanism | The next meeting of the Expert-Level Mechanism on Trans-border Rivers is scheduled for September. |
| Hydrological data sharing | Both sides will continue communication on hydrological data sharing and renewal of relevant MoUs. |
| Next SR talks | The 26th round is to be held in India in 2027. |