LAC STANDOFF: INDIA, CHINA AGREE TO PUSH FOR EARLY DISENGAGEMENT

India and China have agreed to push for an early disengagement of the frontline troops from the Line of Actual Control (LAC), the Ministry of Defence said on Monday.

The ministry issued a statement after India and China held a 16-hour marathon military dialogue to resolve the standoff and thinning of forces along the LAC in eastern Ladakh. It was the ninth round of Corps Commander level meet at Moldo.

In the statement, the ministry said, “They also agreed to follow the important consensus of their state leaders, maintain the good momentum of dialogue and negotiation, and hold the 10th round of the Corps Commander Level Meeting at an early date to jointly advance de-escalation.”

The ministry said that the two sides had a candid and in-depth exchange of views on disengagement along the LAC in the Western Sector of the China-India border areas. “The two sides agreed that this round of meeting was positive, practical and constructive, which further enhanced mutual trust and understanding,” the ministry said.

The two sides agreed to continue their effective efforts in ensuring the restraint of frontline troops, stabilise and control the situation along the LAC in the Western Sector of the China-India border, and jointly maintain peace and tranquillity.

As per defence sources, India made its stand clear during the talks that a complete resolution will be possible only if the Chinese troops disengage from multiple locations across eastern Ladakh and not Pangong Lake.

“Our stand was that they need to withdraw troops from several friction points. These include the Depsang plains, heights around Gogra among some other locations,” an official said.

The Indian stand was plain and clear: That the Chinese side will have to restore status quo as of April 2020, before the standoff began in eastern Ladakh.

This meeting took place more than two months after the previous talks on 6 November 2020, where a three-step phased de-escalation was discussed but there was a freeze on any further developments.

The LAC standoff between India and China has now entered its ninth month as both sides continue with heavy deployment of troops, artillery guns, tanks and armoured vehicles in close proximity. The tensions started with skirmishes in Pangong Lake in May when troops came to blows on more than one occasion leaving many injured on both sides. On 15-16 June 2020, in a violent face-off in the Galwan Valley, 20 Indian soldiers died, while the Chinese never made their casualty public.