National Security Advisor Ajit Doval met Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Friday for delegation-level talks during the latter’s Delhi visit. The meeting took place before Wang Yi’s meeting with External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar. Doval stressed the need for “early and complete disengagement” on the Line of Actual Control (LAC) for improvement in bilateral ties between India and China.
According to government sources cited by ANI, the two sides agreed to work towards the resolution of outstanding issues as soon as possible. At the meeting, China displayed its eagerness to resolve border issues with India. According to sources, both sides agreed that the present situation in border areas is not in mutual interest and that restoration of peace will enable progress in relations. The two sides underscored the need to continue positive interactions at diplomatic and military levels for the restoration of peace in border areas.
This is the first visit of a senior Chinese leader to India after the Galwan Valley clash of 2020 between Indian and Chinese forces. The meeting between Doval and Wang Yi was the second top-level civilian leadership interaction after Jaishankar and the Chinese Foreign Minister met on the sidelines of the SCO Foreign Ministers Summit in Dushanbe last September to discuss disengagement in eastern Ladakh.
Wang Yi also invited Doval to visit China in order to take forward the mandate of Special Representatives (SRs). It is learnt from sources cited by ANI that NSA Doval has said that his visit will take place only after the resolution of issues between the two countries.