Doval named as Special Representative for talks with China

Six months after coming to power, the NDA government today named National Security Adviser (NSA) Ajit Doval as its Special Representative on boundary talks with China, paving the way for the dialogue to resume at this level.

Doval "has been appointed as the Special Representative of India to conduct boundary negotiations and strategic consultations with China," a PMO statement said.

"This arrangement will be part of NSA's overall assignment," it added.

NSA, with the rank of Minister of State, has generally been the Special Representative on boundary talks with China.

However, Doval had so far not been nominated as the Special Representative even though he had been appointed as NSA in May.

The Chinese side is also represented by a Vice Minister- level official.

India and China had established in 2003 the mechanism of Special Representatives to thrash out a resolution to the vexed boundary question. The two sides have so far held 17 rounds of talks, making some progress.

The last round was held in February in Delhi between the then NSA Shivshankar Menon and Chinese State Councillor Yang Jiechi.