14th round of India-China military talks: No breakthrough for disengagement but next meeting soon

New Delhi, Jan 14: There was no breakthrough for disengagement from friction points in the 14th round of Corps Commander level talks between India and China on Wednesday however the two sides have agreed to meet again soon. Reports suggest that even though there was no agreement, the talks were in a positive direction.

 

 

For the meeting, which took place on the Chinese side of the Chushul-Moldo border personnel meeting point, the Indian delegation was led by Lt Gen Anindya Sengupta, who had taken over as the commander of the Leh-based XIV Corps last week. For China, Maj Gen Yang Lin, commander of South Xinjiang Military district led the delegation. It was the first time that the two officers were leading the negotiations for their respective sides.

 

It is a positive development as the discussion in the 13th round of military talks did not end on very good terms. There was no joint statement about the 13th round of military talks and the two sides had issued independent statements blaming each other for the situation.

 

 

It should be noted that like previous joint statements, it was restricted to the usual platitudes about the two sides agreeing to “follow the guidance provided by their state leaders”. The joint statement mentioned that “representatives from the defense and foreign affairs establishments of the two sides were present at the meeting” and they had “a frank and in-depth exchange of views for the resolution of the relevant issues” along the Line of Actual Control in the Western Sector.

 

Both sides “also agreed to consolidate on the previous outcomes and take effective efforts to maintain the security and stability on the ground in the Western Sector including during winter” and to “stay in close contact and maintain dialogue via military and diplomatic channels and work out a mutually acceptable resolution of the remaining issues at the earliest” the statement said. It mentioned that in “this context it was also agreed that the next round of the Commanders’ talks should be held at the earliest”.

 

 

Further, it stated that the two sides “agreed that both sides should follow the guidance provided by the State Leaders and work for the resolution of the remaining issues at the earliest. It was noted that this would help in restoration of peace and tranquility along the LAC in the Western Sector and enable progress in bilateral relations.”

 

Since the standoff began in May 2020, the two sides disengaged from PP14 in Galwan Valley in June 2020, from north and south banks of Pangong Tso and Kailash heights in Chushul sub-sector in February 2021, and from PP17A in Gogra Post in August.