NEW DELHI: India said on Friday its foreign minister and his Chinese counterpart spoke on the phone on Thursday, the first such high-level contact since the neighbours last week agreed to pull back troops form eye-to-eye confrontation on their Himalayan border.

"Once disengagement is completed at all friction points, then the two sides could also look at broader de-escalation of troops in the area and work towards restoration of peace and tranquility," India's foreign ministry said in a statement.

The two ministers agreed to remain in touch and establish a hotline, New Delhi said.