Galwan Showed Military Solution To China Border Dispute Is Off The Table: Ex-Army Chief Naravane

News india Galwan Showed Military Solution To China Border Dispute Is Off The Table: Ex-Army Chief Naravane

Last Updated:October 23, 2026, 08:29 IST

General Manoj Mukund Naravane said India had made its position clear on the unilateral use of force to alter boundaries or borders

Former Indian Army Chief General Manoj Mukund Naravane has said the events following the Galwan clash demonstrated that a military solution to the boundary dispute with China was off the table, adding that the incident gave fresh impetus to resolving the issue through talks and dialogue.

“With China, we have an unsettled boundary. I use the term boundary deliberately because, unlike an international border, which is clearly demarcated and internationally recognised, a boundary is more nebulous," Naravane said.

He said clashes would continue in areas where disagreements over the boundary existed, describing the Galwan clash as another example of such an incident. “Wherever these areas of disagreement exist, we have been having and will keep having clashes," he said.

The former army chief added: “The Galwan clash was just another example of such an incident. However, what is important is that the events following Galwan have clearly demonstrated that, as far as China is concerned, a military solution to the boundary dispute is off the table."

Naravane also said India had made its position clear on the unilateral use of force to alter boundaries or borders. “We have made it clear that the unilateral use of force to change boundaries or borders is unacceptable," he said.

According to Naravane, this position had brought about a change and provided fresh impetus to efforts to resolve the dispute through dialogue. “This has brought about a change and given fresh impetus to resolving the issue through talks and dialogue," he said.

He also underlined the importance of the mechanism for talks between the special representatives of India and China in addressing the boundary dispute. “That is precisely why the mechanism for talks between the special representatives of the two countries is important," he said.

Naravane added that the developments following the Galwan clash had also strengthened India’s standing internationally. “The greater lesson to emerge from Galwan: India has significantly strengthened its reputation on the world stage, both militarily and diplomatically, as well as politically," he said.

India-China Ties After Galwan

The Galwan Valley clash in June 2020 was a major turning point in India-China relations. The confrontation resulted in casualties on both sides. The incident led to a prolonged military standoff in eastern Ladakh, with both countries deploying troops and military equipment along the LAC.

India and China subsequently held multiple rounds of military and diplomatic talks to resolve the standoff and disengage troops from friction points along the border.

In October 2024, the two countries reached an agreement on patrolling arrangements in the Depsang and Demchok areas of eastern Ladakh, leading to disengagement from the remaining friction points associated with the 2020 standoff. The agreement marked an important step towards reducing tensions, although it did not resolve the larger boundary dispute.

Efforts to improve ties have continued since then. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping held a bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit in Tianjin in August 2025, as both sides sought to improve relations while managing their differences.

The two countries have also continued discussions through the Special Representatives mechanism, which was established to explore a framework for settling the boundary question.

The 25th round of Special Representatives talks was held in Beijing on August 25, 2026, between National Security Adviser Ajit Doval and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi. Both sides reiterated their commitment to maintaining peace and tranquillity along the border and advancing negotiations towards a mutually acceptable settlement. They also agreed to hold the next round of talks in India in 2027.

Against this backdrop, Naravane’s remarks underline the importance of sustained diplomatic engagement and mechanisms to manage tensions along the disputed boundary, even as both countries continue to work towards a long-term settlement.

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Apoorva Misra

Apoorva Misra is an Associate Editor at News18.com with a keen interest in politics and current affairs. She loves uncovering fresh angles and telling stories through long-form features and explainers...Read More

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