India Takes Note Of Pact On Border Talks Between Bhutan And China

India has ‘noted’ the agreement signed between Bhutan and China regarding a ‘three step roadmap’ to fast-track negotiations to resolve their boundary dispute.

“We have noted the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Bhutan and China today,” Arindam Bagchi, official spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), was quoted by The Indian Express.

He added, “You are aware that Bhutan and China have been holding boundary negotiations since 1984. India has similarly been holding boundary negotiations with China.”

The MoU between Bhutan and China speaks of implementing the roadmap in a spirit of goodwill, understanding and accommodation that will bring about a successful and acceptable conclusion to the boundary negotiations.

The two countries share a 400-km long border and have conducted about 24 rounds of boundary talks to end the dispute.

“The negotiations which have been conducted in a spirit of understanding and accommodation have been guided by the 1988 Joint Communique on the Guiding Principles for the Settlement of the Boundary and the 1998 agreement on the maintenance of peace, tranquillity and status quo in the Bhutan-China Border area,” the Bhutanese foreign ministry’s official statement was quoted in the report.