India-China LAC meet: Nations talk peace but no breakthrough again

India and China failed to make any headway during the military commander level talks, but agreed that peace and stability would be maintained

New Delhi, July 19: The 12-hour meeting of the military commanders of India and China was held on Sunday amidst the stand-off along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh.

While the stalemate continues with both sides failing to achieve a breakthrough, a joint note by the two sides reaffirmed that the resolution to the remaining issues would help in restoration of peace and tranquility along the LAC and enable progress in bilateral relations.

The Corps of Commanders of both the sides agreed to stay in close contact and also maintain dialogue through military and diplomatic channels and work out a mutually acceptable resolution of the remaining issues.

The talks began at 9.30 am on Sunday and went on for 12 hours. The meet which took place at the Indian Army's post at Chushul was noted by Lt. General Anindya Sengupta, the commander of the Indian Army's XIV Corps and was attended by Major Yang Lin, chief of the South Xinjiang Military District of the Chinese Peoples Liberation Army (PLA). This is the 16th round of military commander level talks between the two sides before tensions escalated in 2020.

During the meet, the two sides continued discussions for a resolution of the relevant issues, a statement read. They had frank and in-depth exchange of views in this regard, in keeping with the guidance provided by the state leaders to work for the resolution of the remaining issues at the earliest, the statement read.

A source told Oneindia that the two sides could not come to agreement discussions about a withdrawal at Demchok and Depsang were discussed. The negotiations had earlier resulted in the withdrawal of troops from both sides at some friction points. The two sides were able to resolve issues at the banks of the Pangong Two in February 2021 and Gogra Post in August 2021.

"Building on the progress made at the last meeting on 11th March 2022, the two sides continued discussions for the resolution of the relevant issues along the LAC in the Western Sector in a constructive and forward-looking manner," the statement after the talks read.

"The two sides reaffirmed that the resolution of remaining issues would help in the restoration of peace and tranquility along the LAC in the Western Sector and enable progress in bilateral relations," the statement also read.

The two sides, in the interim agreed to maintain security and stability on the ground in the region.

It is learnt that the Indian delegation also sought resolution of pending issues in Depsang Bulge and Demchok.

India has been consistently maintaining that peace and tranquillity along the LAC were key for the overall development of the bilateral ties, news agency PTI reported.

The 16th round of military talks was held 10 days after External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar met his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi in Bali.

At the one-hour meeting on the sidelines of a conclave of foreign ministers of the G20 nations, Jaishankar conveyed to Wang the need for early resolution of all the outstanding issues in Eastern Ladakh.

The eastern Ladakh border standoff erupted on May 5, 2020, following a violent clash in the Pangong lake areas.

Both sides gradually enhanced their deployment by rushing in tens of thousands of soldiers as well as heavy weaponry.

As a result of a series of military and diplomatic talks, the two sides completed the disengagement process last year on the north and south banks of the Pangong lake and in the Gogra area.

Each side currently has around 50,000 to 60,000 troops along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in the sensitive sector.