The 18th round of Corps Commander Level talks among India and China was held on Sunday to resolve the remaining friction points between the two since the May 2020 Galwan face-off.

Sources stated the meeting, in which Fire and Fury Corps Commander Lt Gen Rashim Bali represented India, began in the morning at the Chushul-Moldo point in the Eastern Ladakh sector.

At the last December’s 17th round of India-China Corps Commander level meeting, the two sides had agreed for “resolution of the remaining issues at the earliest”, for restoring peace and tranquility along the LAC. Among the friction issues that remain to be resolved are Depsang and Demchok which China refuses to acknowledge that it’s part of the Galwan standoff. India, however, insists that Depsang and Demchok boundary issues are inclusive of the ongoing peace talks.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, in his address to Army Commanders Conference on April 19, had stated “ongoing talks for peaceful resolution will continue and disengagement and de-escalation is the best way forward”.

Through the dialogue, both sides disengaged from Patrolling Point-15 in the Gogra-Hotsprings area of Eastern Ladakh in September of 2022, marking a step forward to ease tensions on the LAC.

Disengagement of armies from both sides of Pangong Tso also took place in February of 2021, and from PP-17 in the Gogra-Hotsprings area in August of the same year, besides Galwan after the violent clash in 2020.

The two armies continue to maintain combat deployment at the LAC in Eastern Ladakh.

Related Topics
comment COMMENT NOW