India and China held their first-ever Corps Commander-level meeting in the eastern sector at the Wacha-Damai border meeting points in Arunachal Pradesh.

This marked a significant milestone in bilateral efforts to maintain peace along the Line of Actual Control. The engagement took place over two days, with discussions held on 6 September at Wacha on the Indian side and on 7 September at Damai on the Chinese side.

The Ministry of External Affairs confirmed the development during its biweekly media briefing. Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal emphasised that India-China ties are gradually moving in a positive direction. He underlined that normalisation of relations includes strengthening people-to-people ties, which also involves easing visa issues to promote greater exchanges between citizens of both nations.

The dialogue followed foundational agreements reached between the Special Representatives of India and China in August 2025 and August 2026. These agreements were reinforced by recent Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination meetings held in Beijing and New Delhi. Together, these steps have laid the groundwork for enhanced military and diplomatic engagement.

The Indian Army delegation was led by Lieutenant General Girish Kalia, Commander of the Rangapahar-based 3 Corps. The Indian Army guards the frontier in Arunachal Pradesh through two primary formations, the 3 Corps and the Tezpur-based 4 Corps.

The Chinese side was represented by senior officers of the People’s Liberation Army. The talks were aimed at ensuring peace and stability along the frontier through structured military dialogue.

The meeting came shortly after National Security Adviser Ajit Doval’s high-level visit to China. During that visit, both sides agreed on joint measures to strengthen mechanisms for maintaining peace along the LAC.

These measures included expanding communication channels and reinforcing confidence-building steps.

The dialogue also followed Army Chief General Dhiraj Seth’s recent visit to the 3 Corps headquarters. He reviewed combat preparedness and evaluated strategies for enhancing mountain warfare capabilities. His visit underscored India’s focus on operational readiness in the eastern sector, particularly in light of the evolving security environment.

The Corps Commander-level talks in Arunachal Pradesh represent both symbolic and practical progress in India-China relations.

They highlight the importance of expanding military dialogue beyond Ladakh and into the eastern sector, where tensions have occasionally flared. The engagement reflects a broader effort to stabilise ties and prevent misunderstandings along sensitive stretches of the frontier.

ANI