India, China to push for an early disengagement

In what seems to be a breakthrough, India and China on Sunday during Corps Commanders level talks “agreed to push for an early disengagement of the frontline troops” in the Eastern Ladakh, according to a joint statement issued by Indian army and PLA.

Both sides agreed to “hold the 10th round of the Corps Commander level meeting at an early date to jointly advance deescalation.”

India and China on Sunday held the 9th round of Corps Commanders level talks to resolve the military stand-off in the Eastern Ladakh. The meeting which started at around 11 am in Moldo on the Chinese side of LAC went for nearly 16 hours till 2:30 am.

“The two sides had a candid and in-depth exchange of views on disengagement along the Line of Actual Control in the Western Sector of China-India border areas,” said the joint statement.

It said that the two sides agreed that this round of meeting was positive, practical and constructive, which further enhanced mutual trust and understanding.

“The two sides agreed to push for an early disengagement of the frontline troops. They also agreed to follow the important consensus of their state leaders, maintain the good momentum of dialogue and negotiation, and hold the 10th round of the Corps Commander Level Meeting at an early date to jointly advance de-escalation,” it said.

The two sides also agreed to continue their effective efforts in ensuring the restraint of the frontline troops, stabilise and control the situation along the LAC in the Western Sector of the China-India border, and jointly maintain peace and tranquility.

The Indian delegation was led by 14 Corps commander Lt-General PGK Menon and also included a joint secretary from the external affairs ministry.

India and China have been involved in a military stand-off in Eastern Ladakh from last nine months where each side has deployed around 50,000 troops along with tanks, and artillery.

Despite temperatures dipping to minus 30 degrees Celsius in the region, both India and China have maintained troops at forward posts this winter

Ladakh.

Earlier in June and then in July, India and China had agreed to mutually move back from Galwan Valley, Gogra Post, Hot Springs and Pangong Tso.

However, it was only in Galwan Valley that both troops had moved back to some extent.

In Pangong Tso, the Chinese army had refused to move back from the ridgelines of Finger 4 and whole of Finger 5 to 8 area which it had illegally occupied in May. In Gogra Post and Hot Springs also there was no clarity on China disengagement. Besides, in Depsang Plains Chinese troops have been preventing Indian army from patrolling.

China had been pushing India to vacate strategic heights which Indian army had occupied on the South bank of Pangong Tso in a surprise action in August.

This gives Indian Army a strategic advantage and chocked Chinese army movement in the sector. China has been mainly interested in getting India vacated these strategic heights.

However, India’s stand was that it will discuss disengagement of the whole Eastern Ladakh and not just few points.

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