India-China talks: Structural differences persist, says Hu Shisheng

What Happened

In Beijing on Tuesday, August 25, 2026, Indian National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi prepared to hold the 25th round of talks between the Special Representatives on the boundary question. Chinese analyst Hu Shisheng stressed that the focus would be on institutionalising stability, while acknowledging that structural differences in the relationship between India and China have not disappeared. He described the broader goal as preventing misunderstandings and miscalculations along the Line of Actual Control (LAC), and maintaining channels of military and diplomatic communication. He also highlighted the aim to operationalise the concept of an “early harvest” on boundary delimitation previously discussed under the Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination (WMCC).

Hu noted that two WMCC meetings this year have discussed delimitation, but no public sign of a concrete sectoral delimitation agreement has emerged. He suggested the next step would be to define the Expert Group’s mandate, timetable, and criteria for identifying relatively less contentious sectors, rather than seeking an immediate settlement of the boundary itself. He also emphasized that the two SRs must work toward a sustainable modus vivendi that avoids confrontation and preserves space for cooperation. The timing of Doval’s visit, ahead of the BRICS Summit in New Delhi and prior to Xi Jinping’s expected visit to India, was described as significant for shaping the political atmosphere around potential leader-level engagement.

Hu also advised that the visit could help clear potential obstacles before the BRICS Summit, set a political tone, and identify deliverables for a possible leaders’ meeting. He pointed to three essential issues on the table: preventing border incidents before the summit, maintaining a conducive political environment for any leader-level engagement, and coordinating the transfer of the BRICS agenda from India to China as chair in the following year. He argued that normalization of relations appears gradual and measured, with the broader trend described as strategic risk management rather than strategic realignment. He also noted that difficult India-U.S. ties may push New Delhi to diversify its strategic options, while China-U.S. ties’ relative stabilization could ease external pressure on China-India ties.