The seventh round of talks took place between the corps commanders of India and China on Monday. The joint statement issued after the meeting said that there was a deep and constructive discussion between the two sides on the deadlock on the Line of Actual Control (LAC). Both sides have agreed to maintain dialogue and communication through military and diplomatic channels and will reach a mutually acceptable solution to end the deadlock at the earliest. A similar statement was issued after the military negotiations and the last round meeting of the Consultation and Coordination Mechanism (WMCC) on the India-China border dispute. Frankly speaking, despite several levels of dialogue, there has been no progress between the two countries on resolving the current deadlock.
Anyone who is watching this can understand that the current level of dialogue is of no use, as there is a huge difference in the views of the two sides. The Chinese are demanding the beginning of the withdrawal of Indian troops from the heights of Kailash Ridge, which was captured at the end of August. The Chinese believe that the Indian troops occupy Kailash Ridge across the LAC, while India maintains that it is within the LAC. India considers the deployment of Chinese troops on the North Bank and Depsang as Indian territory, while China considers it under its jurisdiction. The Indian soldier calls for the withdrawal of Chinese troops from the composite areas spread across eastern Ladakh, including Depsang and Hot Springs, while China first seeks to resolve only Pangong Tso.
India insists that the country that entered first will take the first withdrawal, while China wants the first Indian troops to return to their places. China wants to end the deadlock by maintaining the distance between military forces, while India wants to end tensions and restore the status quo. But new objections are being raised by China. Beijing raised fresh objections after the inauguration of 44 border road projects, including China's reluctance to recognize the union territory of Ladakh, and they believe that the development of infrastructure by India in the region is in line with the sentiments of the previous agreement Is against
China knows these objections are meaningless, as its negotiations with India will continue despite its reluctance to recognize Ladakh as a union territory, and India will not stop developing infrastructure, as they will remain on the Indian border. In addition, the infrastructure also aims to help the people of that region, while China gives them
Indian offensive in the region is seen as a means of increasing power. Military dialogue is only a means of presenting a national point of view. In the latest talks, China has made a new proposal to end the deadlock, which will be studied by the China Study Group of India and will be answered through the hotline. There is a possibility that the proposal calls for the withdrawal of troops from both sides, so it will be rejected because it would mean that India should withdraw from its own territory. Similarly, India's proposals will be studied in Beijing. These will form the basis of the next round of negotiations.
There was no hope of progress from the current round of talks and hence no surprise. Due to different views and both parties are insistent on their stubbornness, the possibility of the early solution is not seen in the far-off. The good thing is that the two countries are negotiating rather than escalating the conflict. Secondly, there is no possibility of a withdrawal of troops before winter begins, and both countries will maintain the deployment of high military force in the region until winter. There is, of course, a lack of mutual trust. China wanted to show the most powerful in Asia by putting pressure on the Indian Army. He wanted to warn India that by taking steps against China's interests diplomatically, economically, or militarily, it could invite a 1962 war situation on the border.
He tried to send a message to the US that India was unable to defend its borders against China, so it did not qualify to be its suitable partner in the region. This could affect Indo-US relations after the US presidential election, where the new government is expected to review its alliances in the Indo-Pacific region.
If India had not responded to the Chinese incursion, the capability of the Indian armed forces would have come under question. But the struggle of Galvan Valley and the concrete action of occupation of Kailash Ridge changed the landscape. The capture of Kailash Ridge enables India to dominate Chinese camps, deploy existing, and enter the Chushul Valley. The fact that China currently has limited options to maintain deployment in the region or adopt an aggressive issue is an indication that its plans have gone awry.
This will be the first time for the Chinese to deploy the People's Liberation Army (PLA) in Ladakh. The PLAs have been returning to the mainland when winters started for decades and left the Border Security Regiment and militia to protect the LAC. In such a situation, this forced deployment of PLA is a small victory for India. Military-level talks will continue during the winter, while soldiers will also monitor enemy movements while battling weather adversities.