Indian Army and Chinese PLA may hold 16th round of LAC talks on July 17
The gap between the previous and current rounds of Corps Commander-level talks has been the longest since the standoff began in May 2020.
The 16th round of corps commander level talks between the Indian and Chinese armies to ease tensions at friction points along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh is likely to be held on July 17, people familiar with the development said on Wednesday. The latest round of talks comes after a gap of at least four months.
“The two sides will discuss further disengagement at frictions points along the LAC during the 16th round of talks. Dialogue is the only way to find a mutually acceptable resolution of outstanding problems,” said one of the officials cited above, speaking on condition of anonymity.
The border standoff between India and China in eastern Ladakh, which has cast a shadow over the bilateral relationship, entered its third year in May 2022. The Indian Army and China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) last held talks on the matter on March 11.
The gap between successive rounds of talks has been the longest since the standoff began in May 2020. Before this, the longest gap in talks was between the 11th and 12th rounds last year — three months and 22 days
A full resolution is still not in sight even though the two sides have had partial success in disengaging rival soldiers from some friction points.
“As long as we are talking, hopes of resolving the lingering standoff are high. The dialogue is indicative of the intent of the two sides to resolve outstanding problems amicably,” said former director general of military operations Lieutenant General Vinod Bhatia (retired).
Despite disengagement of soldiers from Galwan Valley, Pangong Tso and Gogra-Hot Springs area, the two armies still have around 60,000 troops each, and advanced weaponry, deployed in the Ladakh theatre. Experts earlier said the delay in holding the 16th round of talks indicated there were some differences in positions of both sides that were not easy to reconcile.
The two armies held eight rounds of talks in 2020, with the first held in June that year, five rounds in 2021, and two rounds so far this year.
Despite the these talks, issues at Patrol Point-15 near Kongka La, Depsang Bulge in Daulet Beg Oldi sector and Charding Nullah Junction (CNJ) in Demchok sector are still on the negotiation table.
Last week, India sought an early resolution of all outstanding issues on the LAC, with external affairs minister S Jaishankar pressing his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi to complete the disengagement of troops in order to restore peace and tranquillity in border areas.
Over the last two years, India and China have hardened their stance on the LAC with increased military activity on both sides of the boundary, deployment of modern weaponry, infrastructure development, and a series of combat manoeuvres by both armies.
In May, Indian Army chief General Manoj Pande said the army aimed to “re-establish trust and tranquility” with the PLA, but cautioned that “it can’t be a one-way affair”.
The Galwan Valley skirmish and the Indian Army’s lightning takeover of strategic heights on the southern side of Pangong Tso were among the critical developments that took place within months of the border row.
A trust deficit still persists between the Indian and Chinese armies after their soldiers were involved in the brutal clash in Galwan Valley on June 15, 2020. The lack of confidence in each other has further hampered the disengagement process. The clash left 20 Indian soldiers and an undisclosed number of Chinese troops dead.
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