India and China are holding the 16th round of border talks on Friday led by their respective representatives- Indian National Security Advisor Shivshankar Menon and Chinese State Councilor Yang Jiechi.
The high-level border talks follow the diplomatic row between New Delhi and Beijing over an alleged border incursion by the Chinese side at Depsang in the Indian region of Ladakh last April. The row died down after the Chinese troops moved out from the area.
Both sides noted the need to gear up the slow-moving negotiations on the boundary dispute and strengthen the systems in place to safeguard peace and tranquility at the border.
"We are making progress steadily. I think the proof is in the successful way we handled Depsang, and in the way we are discussing a new Border Defence Cooperation Agreement," said Shivshankar Menon, according to The Hindu news paper.
"Slowly, we are strengthening this edifice of both the dialogue mechanisms and the edifice of consultation mechanisms we have in place," said Menon describing the talks as "productive, constructive and very forward-looking."
The Chinese State Councilor described his meeting with the Indian delegation in Beijing as "productive."
"I am confident that such discussions will help both sides take a strategic and long-term view, and better push forward the strategic and cooperative partnership between China and India," said Yang Jiechi.
India and China share a 3488 km long disputed border. There was a short but bloody war in 1962 on the issue. Since then, the two sides have shared uneasy military ties with a chain of border talks failing to yield much result.
