The India-China Corps commander-level talks resumed on Sunday after a gap of over four months for the disengagement of troops along the LAC in Eastern Ladakh.

The two sides are believed to have taken up the issue of disengagement of troops at patrolling point PP-15, popularly known as Hot Springs, at the 16th round of Corps Commander-level talks, held at the Indian side of Chushul-Moldo border meeting point. Commander of 14 Corps Lt General A Sengupta led the Indian delegation for the talks which began at 9.30 in the morning, said government sources. The effort to resume talks, for easing the tense situation following the military standoff in May 2020, was initiated by External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar during an engagement with Chinese Foreign minister Wang Yi at Bali early this month on the sidelines of the G-20 Foreign Ministers meeting.

With the PLA continuing with its deployment and infrastructure upgrade in the friction areas along the LAC, the complicated issue of the Depsang Bulge, a 972-sq km plateau, would be discussed after settling the dis-engagement of Hot Springs, said defense ministry sources. Patrolling in disputed areas has been suspended before the standoff.

Though India is not expecting many breakthroughs from these talks, it is insisting on a three-step process to bring back normalcy — disengagement, de-escalation of tension, and, finally, de-induction of troops, weapons, and enabling equipment along the LAC.

Indian troops are at high alert at the 832 kilometer long LAC with China in Eastern Ladakh.

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