Kailash-Mansarovar yatra to resume? Highlights from India-China meet in Beijing
What's the story
India and China recently held diplomatic talks on border management and reviving cross-border cooperation, including the much-awaited Kailash-Mansarovar Yatra.
The 33rd meeting of the Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination (WMCC) on China-India border affairs was held in Beijing.
Implementation of decisions taken during the Special Representatives dialogue in December 2022 between National Security Adviser Ajit Doval and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi was on the agenda.
Bilateral relations
Recent diplomatic engagements
The recent talks were a follow-up to Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri's two-day visit to Beijing in January.
Gourangalal Das, Joint Secretary (East Asia), headed the Indian side while Hong Liang, Director General of the Boundary and Oceanic Affairs Department of the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, led the Chinese side.
Travel plans
Resumption of Kailash Mansarovar Yatra discussed
Talks also focused on resuming cross-border cooperation, including the Kailash-Mansarovar pilgrimage (last conducted in 2020).
India is keen to resume data sharing on trans-border rivers amid China's plans for a major hydropower project on the Brahmaputra River's upper reaches.
China also agreed to collaborate on making substantial preparations for the upcoming SR meeting in India later this year.
Diplomatic stance
Peace at border crucial for bilateral relations
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said peace and tranquility at the border are "critical" for the better development of overall relations between India and China.
Xu Feihong, China's ambassador to India, said both sides have agreed to take concrete measures to maintain peace along the border areas.
The talks were part of efforts to normalize bilateral ties after a military standoff in Ladakh's Line of Actual Control sector in 2020.