India has reiterated that peace and stability along its disputed border with China are essential to the broader relationship between the two countries, following reports of renewed military tensions in the Himalayas.
India’s Ministry of External Affairs said Wednesday that New Delhi continues to regard border-related issues with China as a serious matter and has repeatedly communicated that developments along the frontier will affect overall bilateral ties.
Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said India has emphasized this position in discussions with Beijing. His comments mark India’s second statement on the issue in less than a week as the two countries continue efforts to rebuild relations following deadly border clashes in 2020.
The developments also come ahead of the BRICS summit in New Delhi on September 12 and 13, which Chinese President Xi Jinping is expected to attend.
China’s Foreign Ministry, responding to Reuters, described the current border situation as “generally stable.”
Beijing also said the two countries had agreed to maintain communication through diplomatic and military channels and work together to preserve peace along the border. The agreement followed a meeting of the countries’ joint border consultation mechanism in New Delhi last week.
Reports of renewed tensions emerged after Indian news outlet ThePrint said Indian and Chinese military patrols encountered each other in late July near Taksing in Arunachal Pradesh’s Upper Subansiri district, close to the border with Tibet.
According to the report, the encounter occurred about 2.5 kilometres inside territory controlled by India. Chinese personnel reportedly withdrew before returning to the area in early August and setting up tents.
China claims Arunachal Pradesh, which it refers to as Zangnan, as part of southern Tibet. India rejects Beijing’s claim and maintains that Arunachal Pradesh is an integral part of Indian territory.
A July 26 letter from a local residents’ organization, reviewed by Reuters, alleged that Chinese personnel were expanding their presence and occupying additional locations near the border.
However, an Indian defence spokesperson in Arunachal Pradesh rejected reports of fresh tensions, describing them as unsubstantiated and uncorroborated.
India and China share a disputed 3,488-kilometre frontier, where encounters between military patrols occur periodically.
Relations deteriorated sharply following clashes in the western Himalayas in 2020 that killed 20 Indian soldiers and four Chinese troops. Both countries subsequently deployed tens of thousands of troops along parts of the frontier.
Tensions began to ease after Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Xi held talks in 2024 and agreed on steps to end the prolonged military standoff.
