On April 1, 1950, India entered into diplomatic relations with the PRC, the first non-communist/socialist nation in Asia to do so. [38] The June 15 border dispute reportedly took place during an obvious “de-escalation process,” weeks after “high-ranking military commanders from both nations” agreed on June 6 to “peacefully resolve the situation in border areas in accordance with various bilateral agreements.” The collision on the ridge reportedly involved close combat with iron bars, stones and fists, resulting in the deaths of 20 Indian soldiers and an unknown number of Chinese soldiers. While no side carried rifles, most of the soldiers killed in the fighting lost their footing or were hit by the narrow ridge of the Himalayas and fell to their deaths. These are the first deaths along the LAC since 1975. A warming trend in relations was facilitated by Rajiv Gandhi`s visit to China in December 1988. The two sides issued a joint communiqué stressing the need to re-establish friendly relations on the basis of the Panchsheel. India and the People`s Republic of China agreed to reach a “just and reasonable solution while seeking a mutually acceptable solution” to the border dispute. The statement also expressed China`s concern over the unrest by Tibetan separatists in India and reiterated that anti-China political activities are not tolerated by Tibetans living abroad. Rajiv Gandhi has signed bilateral agreements on scientific and technological cooperation, direct air links and cultural exchanges. The two sides also agreed on annual diplomatic consultations between foreign ministers, the establishment of a joint committee for economic and scientific cooperation and a joint working group on borders. The latter group is expected to be led by India`s foreign minister and China`s vice foreign minister. Signed in New Delhi on 11 April 2005, available in the AMF`s Chinese contract database in English, Chinese and Hindi. You can also find the English text of the agreement in the Indian MEA Indian Treaty Database.

Article 1 provides that “differences on the question of borders shall not affect the overall development of bilateral relations. The two sides will resolve the border issue through peaceful and friendly consultations. The English text of the Minutes, adopted on 11 Bilateral/Multilateral Documents of the Media Centre of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of India (MEA) can be found on the Bilateral/Multilateral Documents page. You can also find a copy and summary of the protocol in the UN Peacemakers Database and the pa-X Peace Agreement Database. The protocol aims to implement previous agreements and to “agree on the modalities for the implementation of confidence-building measures, including through procedures for the exchange of information on troop movements and the organisation of semi-annual meetings on border issues. . . .