New Delhi (NVI): A week after the violent clash between the Indian and Chinese troops in Galwan Valley, a second round of meeting between Corps Commanders from both sides is underway at the Chushul-Moldo border personnel meeting (BPM) point in eastern Ladakh.
This is the same place where June 6 meeting between the Commanders took place. The Indian side was led by Commander of Leh-based 14 Corps Lt Gen Harinder Singh and the Chinese side was led by South Xinjiang Military District Commander Major General Liu Lin. The meeting, which had lasted for over six hours, was held to discuss the roadmap for disengagement.
Meanwhile, today’s meeting takes place when there has been a further escalation in tensions between the two sides after a violent face-off in which 20 Indian soldiers lost their lives. The Chinese side also, as Army said, had casualties in the showdown.
Apart from the 20 Indian casualties, 76 were injured in the bloody face-off with Chinese troops in Galwan Valley on June 15.
After the June 6 meeting, India and China agreed to pull back troops as part of the de-escalation process, However, the Chinese side departed from these understandings in respect of the LAC in the Galwan Valley area and sought to erect structures just across the LAC, according to the Ministry of External Affairs.
“When this attempt was foiled, Chinese troops took violent actions on June 15, 2020 that directly resulted in casualties,” MEA spokesman Anurag Srivastava said during a virtual press briefing Saturday.
In the all-party meeting convened Friday to discuss the India-China border face-off, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had denied any Chinese intrusion in Indian territory along Line of Actual Control (LAC). He reassured the leaders that the armed forces are capable of defending borders and have been given a free hand to take all necessary steps.
Since early May 2020, the Chinese side has been hindering India’s normal, traditional patrolling pattern in this area, he said, adding “this had resulted in a face-off which was addressed by the ground commanders as per the provisions of the bilateral agreements and protocols.”
-ARK
