NEW DELHI — India has emphasized that peace and stability along its disputed border with China are essential to the broader relationship between the two countries, after reports of a fresh Chinese incursion in Arunachal Pradesh triggered renewed attention to the frontier.
India's Ministry of External Affairs said the condition of the border would have a direct bearing on bilateral ties, amid reports concerning activity near Taksing in Arunachal Pradesh's Upper Subansiri district. The ministry's position reflects India's longstanding assertion that relations with China cannot develop normally without peace and tranquillity along the border.
Reports in recent weeks have alleged that Chinese People's Liberation Army personnel entered areas near Taksing and established temporary positions. The claims have not been independently verified.
Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu said on Aug. 7 that he had received reports of an alleged Chinese incursion but that their accuracy needed to be established through discussions with the Indian Army and local organisations. He subsequently rejected claims of a confirmed fresh incursion, underscoring the need to verify the situation on the ground before drawing conclusions.
The reports concern an area close to the Line of Actual Control, the de facto boundary separating Indian- and Chinese-controlled territory. The two countries have differing perceptions of parts of the LAC, and previous incidents have involved patrols entering areas claimed by the other side.
The Indian Army has previously rejected allegations of Chinese encroachment or the establishment of camps in the Taksing sector, describing such reports as unfounded.
India and China have sought to stabilize relations since a deadly confrontation in eastern Ladakh in 2020 sharply worsened ties. Their militaries have since disengaged from several friction points, while diplomatic and military channels have remained in use to address outstanding border issues.
India has repeatedly linked progress in bilateral relations to maintaining peace along the frontier. External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar said in 2024 that the state of the border would be reflected in the state of India-China relations and called for respect for the LAC and existing agreements.
As of Wednesday, there was no independently confirmed evidence establishing that Chinese forces had made a new permanent territorial incursion at Taksing. Indian authorities continued to emphasize verification of the reported activity and the importance of maintaining peace along the border.
