NSA Ajit Doval, Wang Yi discuss ties; both must respect each other's core interests, says China

📌 Summary:

• NSA Ajit Doval met Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on the sidelines of the BRICS NSAs meet in New Delhi; Wang said it is "imperative" for India and China to respect each other's "core interests" and keep the boundary issue "in an appropriate position"
• Doval underlined that stable, predictable and constructive ties build trust; MEA called the talks "constructive and forward-looking"
• Both are the Special Representatives (SR) on the India-China boundary question; last SR talks were in New Delhi (Aug 2025), next round slated for China
• The meeting reflects a cautious thaw after the 2020 LAC standoff, with de-escalation steps taken since late 2024
• Doval also met Iran's Deputy SNSC Secretary Ghadir Nezamipour — the first senior Iranian visit after the Iran-US peace deal — reviewing West Asia and BRICS cooperation

🎯 UPSC Relevance: GS2 — India-China bilateral relations, boundary diplomacy, and India's role in BRICS.

📝 Prelims Facts:

• Special Representatives (SR) mechanism handles the India-China boundary question
• LAC = Line of Actual Control; the 2020 standoff was in eastern Ladakh
• BRICS NSAs meet was hosted in New Delhi

🔑 Key Term: Special Representatives (SR) Mechanism — a high-level dialogue channel (since 2003) for resolving the India-China boundary question.