Johannesburg: Indian National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and Chinese diplomat Wang Yi held a significant meeting on the sidelines of the BRICS meeting in Johannesburg, South Africa. During the meeting, both sides acknowledged the importance of the India-China bilateral relationship not only for their countries but also for the region and the world.
NSA Doval conveyed his concerns about the situation along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in the Western Sector of the India-China boundary since 2020, which has led to erosion of strategic trust and affected the public and political basis of the relationship. He emphasised the need for continued efforts to fully resolve the situation and restore peace and tranquilly in the border areas in order to remove obstacles and restore normalcy in bilateral relations.
India and China have been engaged in a military standoff for over three years, and the ongoing tension has been described by External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar as the most complex challenge in his diplomatic career. The resolution of the border issue has been highlighted as crucial to bringing the bilateral relationship back on track.
Wang Yi, director of the Office of the Foreign Affairs Commission of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, emphasised the importance of enhancing strategic mutual trust and focusing on consensus and cooperation. He stressed the need to overcome obstacles and quickly normalise bilateral relations.
Earlier, on July 15, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar had also met Wang Yi on the sidelines of the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) Ministerial Meeting in Jakarta, Indonesia. During the recent meeting at BRICS, the discussions covered various outstanding issues related to peace and tranquilly in the border areas, as well as other regional and international matters, including the Indo-Pacific region.
The meeting between Doval and Wang Yi is a significant development in the context of the longstanding border disputes between India and China, which have existed since 1962. The most recent clash occurred in June 2020 in the Galwan Valley. India continues to stress the importance of resolving these border issues to maintain peace and stability in the region.
Additionally, on July 24, Ajit Doval participated in the ‘Friends of BRICS’ meeting in Johannesburg, where he highlighted the growing cyber risks associated with disruptive technologies like Artificial Intelligence, Big Data, and the Internet of Things. He emphasised the need for collective efforts to address challenges arising from cyber security, including the linkages between cybercriminals and terrorists for various illicit activities.
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