ISAS Insights

The problem-solving mechanism of negotiations between the Special Representatives of India and China over their intractable boundary dispute has stayed course since 2003 when the process was agreed upon. Now, 50 years after the Himalayan war between these two major Asian neighbours, they have reaffirmed commitment to seeking a fair, reasonable, and mutually acceptable settlement of the basic dispute. Right now, there are two simple but significant signals that China and India, increasingly recognised as rising powers on asymmetric trajectories, are beginning to walk the talk. One, the two countries have not allowed a current issue of dissonance to disturb the peace process. Two, they have compiled a report on the progress made in their negotiations so far.