New Delhi: India and China will hold the seventh round of Corps Commander-level talks on Monday to discuss an early and complete disengagement of troops and de-escalation by the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh.
Talks are expected to begin at noon in Chushul (Moldo) on the Indian side of the LAC in eastern Ladakh, government sources said, where some 50,000 troops from both sides have been in a face-off situation for six months.
“India is expected to demand a discussion on all the friction points between the two sides from the Sub-sector North to the central sector and complete disengagement and de-escalation by the Chinese Army from there,” government sources stated.
Meanwhile, the Chinese side has demanded that such a mechanism should be first considered for the new friction points on the Northern and Southern bank of Pangong Tso. However, India wants to discuss the entire area at once, officials said.
Notably, the seventh round of military talks will be the last round attended by present Commander of Fire and Fury Corps Lt General Harinder Singh. He will be succeeded by Lt General PGK Menon who has already reached Leh to take over the position.
Following the Chinese Study Group (CSG) meeting earlier this week, the Indian side may be firm on its demand this time to set forth a roadmap for complete disengagement. The CSG, a key policy-making body, comprises Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, Chief of Defence Staff Gen Bipin Rawat as well as three service chiefs.
What happened in the previous military talks?
During the 6th round of Corps Commander-level meeting, the Indian and Chinese sides released a joint statement and agreed to “implement the consensus reached by the leaders, strengthen communication on the ground, avoid misunderstandings, stop sending more troops to the frontline, refrain from unilaterally changing situation on the ground and avoid any action that may complicate the situation”.
They also decided to keep their discussions going further, take practical measures to properly solve problems on the ground, and jointly safeguard peace and tranquillity in the border area.
However, talks have remained inconclusive so far although both nations agreed to take forward their negotiations.