India and China have agreed to “peacefully resolve” the latest border flare-up that has heightened tensions between the nuclear-armed neighbours, New Delhi said on Sunday, after a high-level meeting between army commanders.
Tensions have flared in recent weeks between the two regional powers over their 3,500km frontier, which has never been properly demarcated.
Thousands of troops from both countries are involved in the face-off concentrated in India’s Ladakh region, just opposite Tibet.
“Both sides agreed to peacefully resolve the situation in the border areas in accordance with various bilateral agreements,” the foreign ministry said in a statement.
The ministry said the commanders agreed an “early resolution” was “essential” for bilateral relations between the world’s two most populous nations.
“Accordingly, the two sides will continue the military and diplomatic engagements to resolve the situation and ensure peace and tranquillity in the border areas,” the statement said.
There have been numerous face-offs and brawls between Chinese and Indian soldiers at the frontier, but they have become more frequent in recent years.
On May 9, several Indian and Chinese soldiers were injured in a high-altitude cross-border clash involving fists and stone-throwing in Sikkim state.
The talks are believed to be the highest-level meeting since the Sikkim exchange.