No tangible breakthrough in fresh Indian, Chinese military commanders talks

The 21st round of talks between Indian and Chinese corps commanders since the start of the stand-off in May 2020 was held at the Chushul-Moldo border meeting point on February 19

Published on: Feb 21, 2024, 12:36:04 IST

By Rezaul H Laskar

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Top Indian and Chinese military commanders have held another round of talks on the stand-off in the Ladakh sector of the Line of Actual Control (LAC), agreeing only on maintaining communications on the way ahead and without any tangible breakthrough in the nearly four-year-old face-off.

The Line of Actual Control in Eastern Ladakh sector. (ANI/File)

The 21st round of talks between Indian and Chinese corps commanders since the start of the stand-off in May 2020 was held at the Chushul-Moldo border meeting point on February 19, the external affairs ministry said in a readout on Wednesday.

“The two sides have agreed to maintain communication on the way ahead 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 readout said without giving details.

The discussions built on previous rounds of talks between the military commanders, “seeking complete disengagement in the remaining areas along the LAC in Eastern Ladakh as an essential basis for restoration of peace and tranquillity in the India-China border areas”, the readout added.

The two sides also “shared their perspectives” on this issue in the talks held in a “friendly and cordial atmosphere”.

The last round of talks between the military commanders was held during October 9-10 last year. At that time too, the commanders agreed to continue the military dialogue and maintain peace, but there was no immediate breakthrough.

India-China ties are currently at their lowest point in six decades, with New Delhi maintaining that the overall relationship cannot be normalised without the restoration of peace and tranquillity along the LAC. Both sides have arrayed more than 50,000 troops each in the Ladakh sector since the standoff began.

There has been no forward movement since four rounds of disengagement of frontline troops at Galwan Valley, the north and south banks of Pangong Lake, Gogra, and Hot Springs. The main friction points that remain to be addressed include Depsang and Demchok.

In January, Indian Army chief Gen Manoj Pande said the situation along the LAC in the Ladakh sector was “stable, yet sensitive”. He said the army’s operational preparedness is high and its deployments “robust and balanced,” adding that ongoing talks through military and diplomatic channels were aimed at resolving outstanding issues along the LAC.

India and China have also held 14 meetings of the Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination (WMCC) on India-China Border Affairs since the standoff began, and the last meeting in November ended with no immediate signs of a breakthrough in resolving friction points on the disputed frontier.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Rezaul H Laskar
Rezaul Hasan Laskar is Foreign Editor with the Hindustan Times, which he joined in 2015. He began as a journalist in his hometown of Shillong in northeast India and has worked in newspapers and wire services over the years. He moved to New Delhi in 1997 and initially focused on defence, national security, Jammu and Kashmir and the northeast, while also working of foreign policy and international relations. He has been part of the media delegation accompanying PMs on foreign visits and has reported from destinations ranging from Tibet to Ukraine. Between 2007 and 2013, he was the Press Trust of India correspondent in Pakistan, one of only two Indian journalists allowed to report from the country. He extensively covered Pakistan’s domestic politics and the life of the common people, as well as the fallout of the 2008 Mumbai attacks on India-Pakistan relations and the subsequent trial in Pakistan of the suspects involved in the attack. As part of his reportage in Pakistan, he travelled the breadth of the country, from the Swat Valley to Balochistan. Reza’s first gig in journalism was writing a weekly music column, and music – especially classic rock – remains a keen interest. He is also a movie buff and a keen photographer.Read More

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