India and China have reached an agreement on patrolling measures to ease tensions along their disputed Himalayan border, according to India’s top diplomat, Vikram Misri. He announced on Monday that the two countries have agreed to “disengage and resolve issues in these [border] areas that emerged in 2020,” referring to the Galwan Valley clashes where both sides experienced casualties—the first fatal confrontation since 1975. Relations between the two nations have remained strained since the incident.
Misri stated, “An agreement has been reached regarding patrolling arrangements along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) on the India-China border, paving the way for disengagement and the resolution of issues that arose in 2020.” However, he did not disclose details about the disengagement process or whether it would address all points of conflict along the disputed boundary.
His statement comes just ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Russia for a BRICS summit, which includes Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa. Misri did not confirm if a bilateral meeting between Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping was planned.
The remarks mark a significant development in India-China relations since the Galwan Valley clashes. Due to a 1996 agreement that bans the use of firearms near the border, troops engaged in the Galwan conflict using clubs and sticks. Despite several rounds of talks between diplomats and military officials over the past four years for ease of tensions, a major breakthrough had not been achieved. Clashes have occurred since, including in the northern Sikkim area in 2021 and the Tawang sector in 2022.
Border tensions have long affected India-China relations, with the two countries fighting a war in 1962, where India faced a significant defeat. Business ties between the two Asian powers have also been impacted by ongoing tensions. The core issue is a disputed, 3,440-kilometer (2,100-mile) border with an unclear demarcation. The shifting line—due to rivers, lakes, and snowcaps along the frontier—often brings troops face-to-face, leading to confrontations. Additionally, both nations’ efforts to develop infrastructure along the border have further fueled tensions.
