Indo-China military level talks to focus on Finger Area, Depsang Plains

New Delhi, July 14: The next stage of disengagement will be discussed during the military commander level talks to be held today at Chushul in eastern Ladakh.

The focus of today's talks would be to reduce tensions in the Finger Area and Depsang Plains. The talks would also focus around pulling back weapons from friction points. This would be the fourth round of talks between the military commanders of India and China.

The meeting is expected to begin at 11.30 am. Sources tell OneIndia that the talks this time would be harder due to the tensions at the Finger Area and Depsang sector. While the outcome is yet to be seen, the two commanders would discuss stepwise withdrawal of weapons and equipment to mutually agreed distances from the friction areas along the Line of Actual Control.

Meanwhile, the Chinese soldiers have taken a step back at several locations along the Line of Actual Control. The PLA and Indian Army have moved back around 600 metres from the four friction points, where they have been a tense standoff.

Officials said that both sides have decided to halt patrolling at the four points- Galwan, Gogra, Hot Springs and Pangong Tso. There would be no prejudice to their patrolling rights as a precaution, sources tell OneIndia. This has been done with a view of decreasing tensions, the source also said.

Both India and China have agreed that it was necessary for both sides to implement the understandings reached between the senior commanders of the Indian (LAC).

The agreement came following a meeting of senior diplomats of India and China via video-conference. Both sides reviewed the progress made in the withdrawal of soldiers by the two sides from the face off scenes along the LAC.