New Delhi (NVI): In the 10th round of China-India Corps Commander level meeting held yesterday, both sides agreed to push for a mutually acceptable resolution of the remaining issues in a steady and orderly manner, so as to jointly maintain peace and tranquility in the border areas, as per a joint statement issued by the two sides today.
“The two sides agreed to follow the important consensus of their state leaders, continue their communication and dialogue, stabilize and control the situation on the ground, push for a mutually acceptable resolution of the remaining issues in a steady and orderly manner, so as to jointly maintain peace and tranquility in the border areas,” read the joint statement.
The 10th round of China-India Corps Commander level meeting was held on the Chinese side of the Moldo/Chushul border meeting point yesterday, the Ministry of Defence said in a statement.
The two sides positively appraised the smooth completion of disengagement of frontline troops in the Pangong Lake area noting that it was a significant step forward that provided a good basis for resolution of other remaining issues along the LAC in Western Sector, MoD said.
They had candid and in-depth exchange of views on other issues along the LAC in the Western Sector, it said.
The meeting came after it was verified that the disengagement process at North and South banks of Pangong Lake has been completed.
As per the agreement, both sides had to move their troops away from the eyeball-to-eyeball position. The Chinese troops moved back their troops to east of Finger 8, while India moved its troops to Finger 3, as mandated by the agreement reached at the 9th round of Corps Commander-level talks.
Since there is no demarcated boundary, the perception about the LAC differs. According to the Indian perception, the LAC passes through Finger 8 at Pangong Lake, while China believes that the LAC passes at Finger 4.
The disengagement process in the Pangong Lake area began on February 10 and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh asserted in Parliament the next day that India had made no compromise in the agreement.
He had said that the disengagement process would be carried out in “a phased, coordinated and verified manner” and after its completion, the army commanders would meet to discuss about similar exercise in the remaining friction points. The process was completed yesterday.
Both sides de-inducted troops along with tanks, with videos released by the Indian Army showing Chinese troops dismantling the temporary structures built in the flashpoint zone.
The military face-off between the two countries began in May last year after China tried to change the status quo at the LAC.
As China sent thousands of troops along the LAC in violation all the agreements, India also mobilised matching forces, resulting in eyeball-to-eyeball situation.
At one point of time, each side had around 50,000 troops along with tanks, missiles and fighter planes deployed along the LAC.
