Border stalemate continues, PLA drags feet on status quo

NEW DELHI: The high-powered China Study Group (CSG) met on Tuesday to assess feedback from the August 2 meeting of Indian and Chinese military commanders in Moldo-Chushul even as ground reports indicate that the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) is dragging its feet in restoring status quo in eastern Ladakh.

It is understood that the military commanders’ marathon meeting ended in a stalemate with both sides holding their ground. The CSG will convey to the Indian Army the next steps to be taken on the ground; restoration of the pre-April 20 positions at four friction points in eastern

Ladakh is a prerequisite for normalisation of bilateral ties.

While the Narendra Modi government remains tight-lipped about the August 2 commanders meeting, a Chinese spokesman’s statement trying to delink the boundary problem from overall bilateral ties is an indicator that the PLA is resisting moves to restore status quo ante.