LAC talks focus on troops’ disengagement: MEA

NEW DELHI: India said on Thursday that the immediate task of its diplomatic and military engagements with China was ensuring a “comprehensive disengagement of troops” in all friction areas in the Ladakh sector of the LAC.

The disengagement and de- escalation process has not moved forward despite several meetings of the Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination (WMCC) on border affairs and the senior military commanders of two sides.

Commanders are expected to meet for the eighth round of talks by next week.

External affairs ministry spokesperson Anurag Srivastava told a weekly news briefing that India and China were continuing their discussions through both diplomatic and military channels to peacefully resolve issues along the LAC. This was in line with the agreement reached by external affairs minister S Jaishankar and his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi during at a meeting in Moscow on September 10.

“The immediate task is to ensure a comprehensive disengagement of troops in all the friction areas,” he said.

The last meeting of WMCC was held virtually on September 30, and it was followed by the seventh meeting of the senior military commanders at Chushul on the LAC on October 12. “The two sides have reiterated their desire to maintain dialogue and communication through military and diplomatic channels, and arrive at a mutually acceptable solution for disengagement as early as possible,” Srivastava said.

The military standoff in Ladakh has entered its sixth month and tens of thousands of troops mobilised by both sides are now hunkering down for the harsh winter.