NEW DELHI: India and China on Tuesday signed a border mechanism framework to maintain peace on the disputed boundaries between the two countries.The framework was signed at the end of the 15th round of boundary talks between special representatives of the two countries.It will facilitate real-time contact between the foreign office of the two countries in case of intrusions along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) -- the de facto India-China border."The two sides agree to establish a working mechanism for consultation and coordination to deal with important border affairs related to maintaining peace and tranquility in the India-China border areas," according to the agreement.Chinese state councillor Dai Bingguo and India's national security adviser Shivshankar Menon , special representatives for boundary talks, began the two-day negotiations here on Monday.The talks, aimed at firming up the framework for delineating the border on the map, were scheduled for November last year.But these were postponed after India refused to yield to Chinese objections to Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama's participation in a global Buddhist conclave in New Delhi.Recently, Menon described the boundary question as a "difficult issue" and clarified that the two sides were "in the second stage of the three-stage process of agreeing to principles, a framework and finally a boundary line".
India and China. 

India and China planned to resolve boundary disputes peacefully and develop friendly relations with each other in the 15th round of boundary talks begun Monday. , , represented India while  represented China.

To control the Sino-Indian border effectively, Liu Zhenmin, China's Assistant Foreign Minister, and S. Jaishankar, India's ambassador to China, signed an agreement titled "Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination on India-China Border Affairs". The text of the agreement, as released by the , states, "The mechanism will undertake other tasks that are mutually agreed upon by the two sides but will not discuss resolution of the Boundary Question or affect the Special Representatives Mechanism."

The agreement allows live contact between the countries' foreign offices for problems along the Sino-Indian border, officially called the  (LOAC). Also, meetings are to be held in each of the two countries alternately, once or twice annually. The two sides see the agreement as an important step in gaining trust and strengthening each other.

 have not been good since the  of 1962. The relations lapsed in 2011 due to visa rows and exploration of oil in . Further, the Dalai Lama's refuge in India has caused friction with China. China also claims 90,000 square kilometers of land governed by India in the Tibetan region and India claims 38,000 square kilometers of Kashmir held by China.

Analysts say China is facing both economic problems, and difficulties with neighbouring countries. Its major allies North Korea and Pakistan have their own troubles. China maintains unfavorable relations with other neighbours like Vietnam, Australia, and Japan.

The 'return to Asia' strategy of the United States focuses on China, and India figures in it as an important ally.

Dai wrote in a newspaper column, "What we face is a golden period to grow China-India relations. The world has enough space for China and India to achieve common development, as there are so many areas for us to work together". He further added during the session, "While working hard to develop itself, China is fully committed to developing long-term friendship and cooperation with India."

Dai claimed trade between the two countries has increased by a factor of 20 in the last ten years. He summarized, "As neighbors and two big countries with a combined population of 2.5 billion, China and India can join hands, seize the historic opportunity, and work together to further advance our friendship and cooperation".

The boundary talks were to be held in November, but were postponed over Chinese disapproval of India allowing the Dalai Lama into a Buddhist meet in New Delhi.