India and China are set to hold a significant meeting of their Special Representatives in Beijing on December 18, 2024. This meeting will be the 23rd session focused on the China-India boundary question and will involve India's National Security Adviser, Ajit Doval, and China's Foreign Minister, Wang Yi. The discussions aim to explore steps toward normalizing bilateral relations following a recent agreement on troop disengagement in eastern Ladakh, reached on October 21, 2024.

The upcoming talks are crucial as they follow a five-year hiatus in the Special Representatives dialogue, with the last meeting occurring in December 2019. The dialogue mechanism was established in 2003 to address the complex border dispute spanning approximately 3,488 kilometers.

The decision to revive this dialogue was made during a meeting between Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the BRICS Summit in Kazan on October 23. Following this, both nations have engaged in various diplomatic discussions, including a Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination meeting held in New Delhi on December 5, where they emphasized the need for effective border management and maintaining peace along the Line of Actual Control (LAC).

The primary focus of the upcoming talks will be to manage peace and tranquillity in border areas and to seek a fair and mutually acceptable resolution to the boundary issues that have strained relations since 2020.

Ajit Doval is expected to arrive in Beijing ahead of the talks, which are seen as a vital step toward addressing ongoing tensions and fostering better relations between India and China.