Days after the clash in Arunachal Pradesh, India-China Corps Commanders met on December 20 for a “frank and in-depth discussion” on resolving two more friction points at Depsang Plains and Charding La Nullah in Demochok along the LAC in eastern Ladakh.

The 17th round of India-China Corps Commander level meeting was held at the Chushul-Moldo border meeting point on the Chinese side on December 20 to build on the progress made after the last engagement on July 17. A joint statement was issued by the two countries on Thursday.

Exchanging views

“The two sides exchanged views on the resolution of the relevant issues along the LAC in the Western Sector in an open and constructive manner. They had a frank and in-depth discussion, keeping in line with the guidance provided by the State leaders to work for the resolution of the remaining issues at the earliest, which would help in the restoration of peace and tranquility along the LAC in the Western Sector and enable progress in bilateral relations,” the statement elaborated.

businessline had earlier reported on December 6 that Defence Minister Rajnath Singh took up with his Chinese counterpart Wei Fenghe on the sidelines of the 9th ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting Plus in Cambodia on November 23, the need to resume commander-level talks for resolving remaining friction points at Depsang and Demochok in eastern Ladakh. Wei Fenghe was not only in agreement with Singh’s approach, as top government sources had stated, but was of the view that the engagement should happen at a higher level for resolving the border issues.

A government source said that though not much came out of the Corps Commander level talks, at least they have not gone back on continuing with dialogue for disengagement of troops at much more complex friction points along the LAC in eastern Ladakh where the two armies continued to be deployed since the face-off at Galwan Valley in May of 2020. Since then, the two sides have resolved five contested points at the LAC for disengagement to each other’s satisfaction.

The two neighbours in Thursday’s statement also stated that “in the interim, the two sides agreed to maintain the security and stability on the ground in the Western Sector. The two sides agreed to stay in close contact, maintain dialogue through military and diplomatic channels, and work out a mutually acceptable resolution of the remaining issues at the earliest.”

Negotiations of the two points will not be easy since China has not accepted India’s stand to restore the status quo prior to the PLA’s transgressions at Galwan Valley, believe sources.

While India was trying to restore peace in Ladakh, the Chinese PLA transgressed in the Yangtse Valley in the Tawang sector of Arunachal Pradesh on December 9, which was pushed back by the Indian Army, resulting in injuries to troops from both sides.

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