India seeks more engagement with China on border row, envoy Misri meets top Chinese officials

More diplomatic, commanders-level meetings will take place between India and China as the disengagement process turns ‘complex’, says MEA.

India’s Ambassador to China Vikram Misri | Facebook | Indian embassy in Beijing

New Delhi: India has sought “mutually agreed reciprocal actions” from China as the disengagement process turns “complex” with the border stand-off continuing for over 90 days at the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Eastern Ladakh.

This comes after Vikram Misri, Indian Ambassador to China, held a series of meetings with senior Chinese officials this week.

On Friday, Misri held a meeting with Chinese Major General Ci Guowei, Director of the Office of International Military Cooperation of the Central Military Commission, and briefed him about India’s stance regarding the situation on the borders in eastern Ladakh.

Misri also met Liu Jianchao, Deputy Director of the Office of the CPC Central Committee Foreign Affairs Commission, Wednesday, and discussed the process of disengagement and restoration of status quo in areas where a large number of troops on both sides continues to remain in a face-off position, sources said.

More diplomatic, commanders-level talks will be held 

While the disengagement process has had “some progress” earlier, the procedure remains “complex” when it comes to “translating” the principles of disengagement on the ground, said Anurag Srivastava, spokesperson, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) Friday.

“Translating these principles on ground is a complex process that requires re-deployment of troops by each side towards their regular posts on their respective sides of the LAC. It is natural that this can be done only through mutually agreed reciprocal actions,” Srivastava added.

“While we would like the ongoing disengagement process to be completed at the earliest, it is important to bear in mind that achieving this requires agreed actions by both sides,” he added.

Therefore, he said, more diplomatic-level meetings under the Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination on India-China border affairs and senior commanders-level meetings will be held.

“We expect the Chinese side to sincerely work with us towards the objective of complete disengagement and de-escalation and full restoration of peace and tranquility in the border areas as agreed by the Special Representatives,” he added.