Indian and Chinese brigade commanders meet at LAC — ‘No breakthrough but talks positive’

Tactical commanders from India and China have also held talks on board boats in Pangong Lake over the past few days to ease tensions.

An army convoy moving towards the Zojilla pass, in Drass, Ladakh on 28 May 2020 | Representational image | ANI

New Delhi: Indian and Chinese brigade commanders met in eastern Ladakh Monday to ease the ongoing tensions in the region. Though no major breakthrough has been achieved, the talks were “positive”, ThePrint has learnt.

Sources in the know told ThePrint that tactical commanders have also met separately, over the last few days, on individual boats in Pangong Lake to ease the tensions on the northern banks side.

“The talks were held at the brigadier level in the Daulat Beg Oldie (DBO) sector. Though no firm breakthrough is there, the overall tone was much more positive than before,” a source told ThePrint.

The sources said more such talks are planned between the two sides, including at divisional commander level.

They said not all talks have been held in the DBO sector. The talks were also held in the Pangong Lake area.

“Both DBO and Pangong Lake area come under two separate brigades. The talks have also been held in the Pangong Lake with both commanders reaching a pre-decided point in the lake,” a source said, explaining that they spoke to each other from their respective boats.

The sources said the demands of the Indian Army has been very clear from the beginning, which was for the Chinese to maintain the earlier status quo at the LAC.

All established channels activated to ease tensions

ThePrint had on 26 May reported on the demands from both sides. While India has demanded that China revert to status quo along the LAC, the Chinese want India to stop all construction activities in the area.

A source had then described the talks as a “ping-pong game” as there had been a lot of back and forth without any tangible outcome.

All established channels including diplomatic ones have been activated to ensure that things calm down.

It has now been revealed that the 5 May clash in Pangong Lake was not the only one, and multiple physical fights might have happened in the area since then, including a major one on 18 May.

The sources said no fresh clashes have happened in the area since the third week of May near Finger 4 area.

The 134 km of Pangong Lake’s northern bank juts out like a palm, and the various protrusions are identified as “fingers” to demarcate territory.

While the Chinese have made a large troop build-up in the Galwan Valley, at least three transgressions have taken place in the larger Hot Spring area besides the one in Finger Area.

India has also done “mirror deployment”, meaning that they have matched every move of the Chinese.