India’s Defence Minister, Rajnath Singh, has called for a permanent resolution to the border dispute with China.
Singh made the call during a meeting with Chinese Defence Minister Dong Jun in Qingdao, China, on Thursday, June 27, 2025.
The meeting took place on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Defence Ministers’ gathering.
India’s Defence Ministry released a statement Friday, emphasizing the need to move beyond past standoffs and rebuild trust.
“Singh stressed on a structured roadmap and rejuvenating established mechanisms for permanent border demarcation,” the statement read.
This marks a shift in tone, as India has previously used softer phrases like seeking an “early resolution” to the dispute.
China has not yet released an official statement or response to Singh’s remarks.
Beijing maintains that the border issue should not affect broader bilateral ties between the two countries.
Both nations share a 3,800-kilometre disputed border in the Himalayas, which has remained largely undemarcated for decades.
India and China fought a war over the border in 1962 and have had repeated standoffs since.
The most serious recent clash occurred in 2020, when 20 Indian and 4 Chinese soldiers died in hand-to-hand combat.
That clash triggered a four-year standoff, with both militaries deploying thousands of troops to the mountainous frontier.
In October 2024, both sides reached an agreement to withdraw troops from some contested zones.
Singh also called for rebuilding trust eroded by the 2020 incident, according to New Delhi’s statement.
The ministers agreed to continue talks on disengagement, de-escalation, border management, and eventual de-limitation.
India and China also recently agreed to resume direct flights, suspended since the 2020 clash, to boost communication.
Diplomatic and military talks between both sides have resumed gradually over the past year.
The SCO is a 10-member Eurasian security alliance, including China, India, Russia, Iran, and Pakistan.
This defence meeting is a precursor to the SCO Leaders’ Summit expected later this year.
Analysts see Singh’s firm call as a sign India seeks a conclusive and lasting resolution to the border crisis.
