New Delhi (NVI): The fourth round of Corps Commander-level talks between India and China are underway at Chushul on the Indian side of Line of Actual Control (LAC) to finalise modalities for the next phase of de-escalation and disengagement of troops in eastern Ladakh.
According to sources, the military level talks today will focus on disengagement by both sides at Pangong Tso and Depsang, the two areas in Eastern Ladakh where the location of LAC is disputed by both the countries.
Today’s meeting will be held between XIV Corps Commander Harinder Singh and South Xinjiang Military Region Commander Major General Liu Lin to resolve the standoff which started early May.
The first two meetings were held at Moldo, which falls on the Chinese side of LAC, and the third was held at Chushul border post on the Indian side.
The meeting comes four days after the 16th India-China meeting of the Working Mechanism for Consultation & Coordination on India-China Border Affairs (WMCC). The diplomatic level talks were held on July 10 in which both sides said they will ensure complete disengagement of the troops along the Line of Actual Control (LAC).
During the meeting, the officials from two countries also agreed to ensure de-escalation from India-China border areas for full restoration of peace and tranquility in the border areas, in accordance with bilateral agreements and protocols.
In the first signs of withdrawal of Chinese troops along LAC in Eastern Ladakh earlier this week, the PLA removed tents and dismantled its structures in the disputed area.
India and China are currently locked in a bitter standoff at multiple locations in Eastern Ladakh, especially after the June 15 violent clash between the Indian and Chinese troops in Galwan Valley in which 20 Indian soldiers lost their lives.
-ARK
