New Delhi: No outcome was reported from the marathon day-long talks between top military commanders of India and China held yesterday to discuss how to end the nearly 2-year-old military faceoff in the Eastern Ladakh sector of Line of Actual Control (LAC).
The 15th round of Corps Commander Level Meeting was held at Chushul-Moldo border meeting point on the Indian side yesterday from morning till late night.
The deliberations were aimed at finding ways to end the eyeball-to-eyeball situation in areas like Depsang, Hot Springs and Demchok in the Eastern Ladakh sector.
“The two sides carried forward their discussions from the previous round held on 12th January 2022 for the resolution of the relevant issues along the LAC in the Western Sector,” said a Joint Press release issued today.
“They (the two sides) had a detailed exchange of views in this regard, in keeping with the guidance provided by the State Leaders to work for the resolution of the remaining issues at the earliest,” it added.
The two sides “reaffirmed that such a resolution would help restore peace and tranquility along the LAC in the Western Sector and facilitate progress in bilateral relations”, the statement said.
They agreed to maintain dialogue via military and diplomatic channels to reach a mutually- acceptable resolution of the remaining issues at the earliest, it said.
The two sides also agreed to maintain security and stability on the ground in the Western Sector in the interim, the Joint statement said.
The LAC has been witnessing eyeball-to-eyeball situation at a number of places ever since China launched military aggression against India in May 2020 with an aim of altering the boundary unilaterally through force.
Both the countries have deployed tens of thousands of troops besides heavy military assets in the mountainous region.
Prior to yesterday’s meeting, the two sides held 14 rounds of Corps Commander-level talks which resulted in disengagement in North & South Bank of Pangong Tso (Lake), Galwan and Gogra areas.
The two sides were now to focus to achieve resolution of balance friction areas.
The last round of Corps Commander-level talks was held on January 12 on the Chinese side of the Chusul-Moldo border Meeting point but there was no outcome with regard to disengagement in the remaining friction areas.
After the last meeting, the two sides had issued a Joint Statement, saying they would consolidate earlier outcomes and “work out a mutually acceptable resolution of the remaining issues at the earliest”.
It had said the two sides would “stay in close contact and maintain dialogue via military and diplomatic channels” and make “effective efforts to maintain the security and stability on the ground in the Western Sector including during winter”.
The Joint Statement also mentioned that the two sides agreed that they “should follow the guidance provided by the State Leaders and work for the resolution of the remaining issues at the earliest. It was noted that this would help in restoration of peace and tranquility along the LAC in the Western Sector and enable progress in bilateral relations.”
