What Happened
- Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri held the India-China Strategic Dialogue with China's Executive Vice Foreign Minister Ma Zhaoxu in New Delhi on February 10, 2026.
- Ma Zhaoxu was in India to participate in the BRICS Sherpa Meeting, as India holds the BRICS chairship for 2026.
- Both sides reviewed the "positive momentum" in bilateral relations and discussed ways to advance ties by enhancing people-to-people exchanges and addressing concerns on sensitive issues.
- The two sides agreed to support each other's BRICS chairship work for 2026 (India) and 2027 (China) and recognised the need for an early conclusion of an updated air services agreement.
- The dialogue also covered global and regional situations, multilateral issues, and progress on stabilising relations that had come under severe strain following the over four-year military standoff in eastern Ladakh.
Static Topic Bridges
India-China Special Representatives (SR) Mechanism on the Boundary Question
The Special Representatives mechanism was established in 2003 to address the India-China boundary dispute through political-level negotiations. The SRs (India's National Security Advisor and China's State Councillor/Foreign Affairs Director) operate at a higher level than the Joint Working Group mechanism they replaced, reflecting the need for political authority to make progress on the territorial dispute.
- Established in 2003 following the Vajpayee-Wen Jiabao summit; 24 rounds of talks have been held so far
- Indian SR: National Security Advisor Ajit Doval; Chinese SR: Wang Yi (Director, Office of the Central Commission for Foreign Affairs)
- 23rd Round: held in Beijing on December 18, 2024 — the first in five years, following the October 2024 breakthrough on LAC disengagement
- 24th Round: held in New Delhi on August 19, 2025, co-chaired by Doval and Wang Yi; agreed to establish an "Expert Group" under the WMCC for early harvest options in boundary delimitation
- The SR mechanism operates in parallel with the Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination on India-China Border Affairs (WMCC, established 2012)
- The mechanism produced the "Political Parameters and Guiding Principles for Settlement" in 2005 (Agreement on Political Parameters)
Connection to this news: The Strategic Dialogue between Misri and Ma Zhaoxu is distinct from and complementary to the SR mechanism. It represents the Foreign Secretary-level channel focusing on broader bilateral relations, while the SR mechanism specifically addresses the boundary question, indicating the multi-layered diplomatic architecture India and China maintain.
LAC Disengagement and the Eastern Ladakh Standoff (2020-2024)
The India-China military standoff in eastern Ladakh began in May 2020 when Chinese PLA troops intruded at multiple points along the Line of Actual Control (LAC). The standoff led to the deadliest India-China clash in 45 years at Galwan Valley on June 15, 2020, killing 20 Indian soldiers and at least 4 Chinese soldiers. Disengagement was achieved in phases across multiple friction points over four years.
- Friction points: Pangong Tso (north and south banks), Galwan Valley, Hot Springs/Gogra, Depsang Plains, Demchok
- Disengagement timeline: Pangong Tso (February 2021), Gogra/Hot Springs (September 2022), Depsang and Demchok (October 2024)
- The October 2024 agreement on patrolling arrangements at Depsang and Demchok paved the way for the Modi-Xi meeting at the BRICS summit in Kazan, Russia
- India's operational response included deployment of approximately 50,000-60,000 additional troops to the LAC
- The LAC is not demarcated on the ground — India claims it is approximately 3,488 km long, while China claims it is about 2,000 km
Connection to this news: The Strategic Dialogue builds on the momentum generated by the completion of disengagement at all friction points in eastern Ladakh by October 2024. The focus on "people-to-people exchanges" and "air services agreement" signals a move beyond military disengagement toward broader normalisation of relations.
BRICS — Evolution and India's 2026 Chairship
BRICS is a grouping of major emerging economies that has evolved from an economic concept (coined by Goldman Sachs economist Jim O'Neill in 2001) into a significant geopolitical platform. Originally comprising Brazil, Russia, India, and China (BRIC, first summit 2009), it expanded to include South Africa in 2010 and six new members in 2024.
- Current members (11): Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, UAE, and Indonesia (joined 2025)
- BRICS members represent approximately 45% of the world's population, 28% of global GDP, and 44% of global crude oil production
- The New Development Bank (NDB), headquartered in Shanghai, was established by BRICS in 2014 (operational 2015) as an alternative to the World Bank and IMF
- India's BRICS 2026 chairship theme: "Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability"
- India will host the 18th BRICS Summit in 2026
- The Contingent Reserve Arrangement (CRA), established in 2015 with $100 billion corpus, provides a financial safety net for member countries
Connection to this news: Ma Zhaoxu's visit to Delhi was primarily for the BRICS Sherpa Meeting, and the India-China Strategic Dialogue was held on its margins. India's role as BRICS chair for 2026 provides a multilateral framework for managing the complex bilateral relationship, with both sides agreeing to support each other's chairship work.
Key Facts & Data
- India-China Strategic Dialogue held: February 10, 2026, New Delhi
- Participants: Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri and Executive Vice Foreign Minister Ma Zhaoxu
- BRICS 2026 chairship: India; 2027: China (sequential chairships facilitating cooperation)
- BRICS members: 11 countries (expanded from 5 in 2024)
- India's BRICS theme: "Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability"
- Eastern Ladakh disengagement: completed at all friction points by October 2024
- SR mechanism: 24 rounds held since 2003
- LAC length (India's claim): approximately 3,488 km