Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday met his Chinese counterpart, Admiral Dong Jun, on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Defence Ministers’ Meeting in Qingdao. The bilateral conversation, India’s highest-level military dialogue with China in recent months, centred around maintaining peace along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) and charting a roadmap for long-term border stability.

During the meeting, Mr Singh proposed a four-point plan designed to prevent further deterioration in India-China relations:

Strict Adherence to the 2024 Disengagement Agreement: Both sides are expected to honour and implement the disengagement pact signed in October last year, covering the remaining friction points in Eastern Ladakh, particularly Demchok and Depsang.

De-escalation Measures: Mr Singh called for continuous efforts to de-escalate tensions and avoid any flare-ups along the LAC.

Demarcation and Delimitation: Mr Singh urged for fast-tracked negotiations towards finalising the boundary delineation process. ” Mr Singh stressed on border management and to have a permanent solution of border demarcation by rejuvenating the established mechanism on the issue,” a government statement read.