New Delhi: India and China held their 20th round of Corps Commander-level talks to defuse tensions along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh, but no immediate resolution was found, ThePrint has learnt. Sources in the defence and security establishment said this meant that soldiers on both sides will continue to remain deployed in forward areas along the LAC for the fourth straight winter.
“The 20th round of India-China Corps Commander Level Meeting was held at Chushul-Moldo border meeting point on the Indian side on 9-10 October 2023,” read a statement released by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), Wednesday.
There was no official word from the Army, though the statement released by China did not mention that it was a joint statement. Even in the case of a joint statement, it is always the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) which releases it.
“The two sides exchanged views in a frank, open and constructive manner for an early and mutually acceptable resolution of the remaining issues along the LAC in the Western Sector, in accordance with the guidance provided by the national leadership of the two countries, and building on the progress made in the last round of Corps Commanders’ Meeting held on 13-14 August 2023,” said the MEA.
It added that both sides agreed to maintain the “momentum of dialogue and negotiations through the relevant military and diplomatic mechanisms”.
“They also committed to maintain peace and tranquillity on the ground in the border areas in the interim,” the short statement added.
The Indian delegation was led by Lt Gen Rashim Bali, commander of the Leh-based 14 Corps, while the Chinese delegation was to be led by the commander of the South Xinjiang military district.
On 15 August, ThePrint reported that the rare two-day India-China military talks (19th round) failed to make any immediate headway on the critical issue of Chinese presence in Depsang Plains, but that both sides had agreed to freeze further build-up.
Despite disengagement from the Galwan Valley, Pangong Tso, Gogra (PP-17A) and Hot Springs (PP-15), armies of both countries continue to maintain thousands of troops and equipment along the LAC.
India has been seeking restoration of status quo as of April 2020 in areas which saw tensions beginning May 2020, besides resolution of earlier disagreements including those over Depsang Plains.
(Edited by Amrtansh Arora)
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