Depsang Y, Pangong Tso disengagement to be discussed at Indo-China military level talks

New Delhi, July 27: The military commanders of India and China are soon set to meet and the focus would be on Pangong Tso and Depsang.

During the meeting, India will ask China to completely disengage at Pangong Tso lake and Depsang Y junction in Eastern Ladakh.

Last week senior diplomats of both countries held talks through video conference. India's primary concern was that the Chinese PLA had not yet withdrawn troops from several standoff points, including the northern bank of Pangong Tso lake.

On Friday, New Delhi conveyed to Beijing that the PLA should speed up pulling back from the face-off pits and also should withdraw the large number of troops deployed in the depth areas.

The video conference of the Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination of India-China Border Affairs (WMCC) was attended by Naveen Srivastava who heads the East Asia Division at the MEA.

The Chinese delegation was led by Hong Liang, the director-general of the Department of Boundary and Oceanic Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Both sides agreed that it was necessary to sincerely implement the understandings reached between the military commanders. Both sides also agreed that another round of military level talks should be held.

The talks should focus on complete disengagement and de-escalation and also the restoration of peace and tranquillity in the border areas, the MEA said in a press statement.

The diplomats of the two sides agreed that "early and complete disengagement of the troops along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) and de-escalation from India-China border areas in accordance with bilateral agreement and protocols and full restoration of peace and tranquillity was essential for the smooth overall development of bilateral relations", the MEA also said.