A top Indian official is set to visit China next week to discuss with his Chinese counterpart the festering border dispute that has become a source of repeated standoffs between the two countries.

India's National Security Adviser Ajit Doval will hold informal talks with Chinese State Councilor Yang Jiechi on Jan. 5 about their 3,488-long border.

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The two officials will discuss the progress made by both countries on the border issue and will also tackle security and strategic concerns.

Doval, who is also the Special Representative for Sino-India boundary talks, will also pay a courtesy call to Chinese Premier Li Keqiang on Jan. 6.

In all, China and India have held 18 rounds of discussions to settle their border dispute. But so far, the two nations are yet to arrive at a workable solution.

The special representatives not only hold annual meetings to resolve the border dispute, but they also conduct informal meetings to review the status and development of the disputed border.

China said it is concerned only with the eastern part of the border, which it claims belongs to southern Tibet, but India maintains that the dispute involves the western sector, which China occupied in 1962.

Doval said the meeting will not only tackle border dispute but also the frequent 'incursions' of Chinese troops in the eastern sector causing tension.

"We have got a very long border, we have got 3,488-km long border, a very difficult and mountainous terrain snow-clad...now for the bilateral relations with China, border is the critical and vital issue," Doval said.

TagsIndia National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, China-India border dispute, Special representative for Sino-India boundary talks, Tibet