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Here's a short primer on what has been happening at the LAC in recent days, and what has sparked the fresh round of conflict.
After four months of bloody standoff between India and China, the two neighbours on September 10 said they have agreed on five points to guide their approach to resolve the border face-off on the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh.
The five-point plan included abiding by all existing agreements and protocol on management of the frontier, maintaining peace and tranquility and avoiding any action that could escalate matters.
The consensus was reached during talks between External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi in Moscow on September 10 on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) meet. The meeting lasted two-and-half hours.
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On the backdrop of this, here's a short primer on what has been happening at the LAC in recent days, and what has sparked the fresh round of conflict followed by talks on both military and diplomatic level.
>> After the Galwan face-off, things along the India-China border have remained tense, with the tension culminating into an alarming situation on September 7, when China's People's Liberation Army (PLA) troops, attempting to close-in with one of India's forward positions along the LAC were dissuaded by Indian troops, following which the PLA troops fired a few rounds in the air in an attempt to intimidate Indian troops.
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>> On its part, China said Indian forces crossed into the territory it holds along their disputed border and fired warning shots at a Chinese patrol in a move it called a serious military provocation and a violation of their agreements.
>> China's western military command said the incursion occurred on September 7 along the southern coast of Pangong Lake, in the area known in Chinese as Shenpaoshan.
>> Reports have suggested that the Indian Army has secured its positions at many strategic locations in the Chushul area. According to reports, Indian soldiers have taken up dominating positions at ‘Finger 4’ along the Pangong Lake. The military is also reportedly keeping a close watch on the PLA’s build-up at Depsang-DBO.
>> "The situation around the LAC is slightly tense. So, we have undertaken precautionary deployments. Talks are going on at various levels. I am confident that we will be able to resolve the current situation through dialogue," Army Chief MM Naravane had said.
>> Defence Minister Rajnath Singh met with his Chinese counterpart Wei Fenghi against the backdrop of rising tensions between the two nations at the LAC in Moscow on September 4 on the sidelines of the SCO meet.
>> External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on September 3 said the border row has to be solved through diplomacy and that it was vital for both countries to reach an "accommodation" not only for themselves, but also for the world.
However, according to a News18 report, even as the talks go on, the situation on ground doesn't seem to be anywhere close to a resolution.
Another factor, according to the report, is China's domestic politics, particularly the Chinese Communist Party's key plenum next month. There, Xi Jingping would like to go with an image of a leader next only to Mao Zedong - something that would not allow him to dial down on the border situation.
In effect, the report suggests, indications at this point along the border seem to pointing towards a limited conflict.