New Delhi: After a gap of over two months, India and China are set to hold the 9th round of Corps Commander-level talks Sunday, which will focus on breaking the stalemate between the two sides.
Sources in the defence and security establishment said the talks will be held at Moldo meeting point and hosted by the Chinese.
The Indian delegation will be led by 14 Corps Commander Lieutenant General P.G.K. Menon.
The last meeting was held on 6 November on the Indian side in Chushul, and ended with both sides sticking to their demand of each other withdrawing first.
Sources said that the focus this time will be on breaking the stalemate that has now become synonymous with the talks.
The talks aim to resolve the tensions, which erupted in early May after the Chinese intruded into multiple locations in Eastern Ladakh.
“The problem now is that neither side has any overt disadvantage or any overt advantage. Hence, both sides don’t want to take the first step to disengage,” a source said.
Asked what will be the agenda for the talks, the source said, “The aim is only one — to achieve disengagement first and then de-escalation”.
The current situation
One of the proposals being discussed between the two sides is withdrawal of artillery and armoured elements from current forward locations.
In the southern banks of Pangong Tso, the tanks from each side are literally facing each other with only a few feet apart.
While China had the advantage of moving in first, specialised elements from Indian Army had outflanked the Peoples’ Liberation Army and occupied dominating heights on the southern banks, also known as Kailash Ranges.
Also read: How Indian Army’s secrecy & unorthodox deployment fooled the Chinese at Pangong Tso
There is something more sinister than LAC brewing on the world scene with immense implications for India. LAC is a “line” on either side of which India and China claim territories. This scenario is an existential truth since decades if not since centuries. For instance, the new village set up by China in Arunachal Pradesh on territory controlled by it since 1959 is a case in point. Why now? Is it because suddenly China does not have enough land for its people?
These LAC “game”, you will realise if you dwell into history of Indo-China relations, have been played and replayed many times over with different intensities including offensive posturing, intrusions, minor skirmishes, more serious localised actions and a very devastating (for India) war. The difference is that these days, in the times of unfettered media, the whole game is being played in different planes – unfortunately as always, including at the political level, and so playing into the Chinese hands. We are treading dangerous territory here. The situation requires less rhetoric and more concerted actions as, I presume, is underway. The LAC, an which way, is NOT the primary threat to India from China.
As China is not a democracy, it can make long term plans, stick with them and execute them with precision. The democracy in India is a “laggard” with opposition, protests and a general lazy lethargy for progress and long-term planning. China exploits this weakness and “we the people” simply play into their hands. India needs to see the larger picture here which will suggest that prudent diplomacy is the need of the hour. Consider the following extract from a global report: –
“Despite repeated warnings from the US, the European Union’s recent Comprehensive Agreement on Investment with China raised eyebrows across the world. And even Donald Trump’s parting shot was to revive the trade pact with the Beijing administration. Australia also signed a 15-member Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership with China in November. In a slowing economy, all three have revived some level of trade relationship with China. But as countries scramble to find new partners and new trade pacts in the wake of Covid, India is looking at a future where there is no China because of border tensions, and instead has lined up a few minilaterals whose outcomes are unknown.”
Without money India cannot progress; not even defend its sovereignty if it come to that. Historical events are testimony that in Bharat (India) (battles between kingdoms, battles against invaders including the British et al) were lost because of enemies within.
Views are personal