NEW DELHI — National Security Advisor Ajit Doval hosted Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on August 19 for the 24th round of talks on the India-China boundary issue, in a renewed effort to stabilize ties and resolve long-standing disputes.

Officials described the talks as candid and constructive, signaling a shared willingness to move beyond earlier setbacks, including the 2020 Galwan Valley clashes, and rebuild trust through structured dialogue. The next round of Special Representatives’ talks will take place in China in 2026.

The urgency in the talks, world media and analysts have noted, coincides with the steep tariffs imposed on Delhi by President Trump and the harsh tones he and his administration officials have employed in berating India.

Trump has chosen to make India a pawn in his quest to settle the Ukrainian war. His deep desire for a Nobel Peace Prize is well known.

The meeting followed Wang Yi’s two-day official visit to India, during which he also met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar.

Doval and Wang Yi outlined a framework to deepen engagement and manage the boundary issue, stressing that the matter should be approached politically to work toward a fair and mutually acceptable settlement, as guided by the 2005 agreement on principles. An expert group will be created under the Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination to identify areas where agreements can be reached more quickly. Another working group will focus on improving border management to ensure peace along the frontier.

The two nations have also agreed to open several trading routes. Discussions also covered lifting of export controls by both sides. (IANS)