India and China today resumed their 15th round of boundary talks in New Delhi to decide on a framework for delineating the border on the map. The Indian side is being led by National Security Adviser Shivshanker Menon while the Chinese team is headed at the talks by state councilor Dai Bingguo.

AIR correspondent reports an agreement on setting up a joint mechanism on border management is expected to be signed at the end of two day-talks.

The focus of the talks between the two special representatives will be on confidence-building amid some contentious issues that have shadowed bilateral ties in the past few months. They are also expected to work out the details of a pact on the border mechanism, likely to be signed on Tuesday. The border mechanism which is an important confidence building measure will facilitate real-time contact in case of violations of the Line of Actual Control. It is expected to be headed by the joint secretary (East Asia) in the ministry of external affairs and the Chinese director-general of the department of boundary and ocean affairs.

Besides the boundary issue, the two sides will also hold discussions on a wide range of bilateral, regional and global issues that will include the global financial crisis, climate change and the BRICS summit of India, Brazil, Russia, China and South Africa which New Delhi will host in March. They are also expected to discuss the likely visit to India of Mr. Xi Jinping, who will succeed Chinese President Hu Jintao.