LAC: India, China meet, agree on next round of military talks soon

The meeting took place under the framework of the Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination on India-China Border Affairs (WMCC).

Indian and Chinese troops are locked in an over three-year confrontation in certain friction points in eastern Ladakh, even as the two sides completed disengagement from several areas following extensive diplomatic and military talks.

“The two sides reviewed the situation along the LAC in western sector of India-China border areas and discussed proposals for disengagement in remaining areas in a frank and open manner,” the MEA said. “Restoration of peace and tranquility will create conditions for normalising bilateral relations,” it said.

“In order to achieve this objective, in accordance with existing bilateral agreements and protocols, they agreed to hold the next (19th) round of senior commanders’ meeting at an early date,” the MEA statement said.

The MEA said the two sides agreed to continue discussions through military and diplomatic channels.

This was the 27th meeting of the WMCC. The previous WMCC meeting was held in Beijing on February 22.

The Joint Secretary (East Asia) from the MEA led the Indian delegation. The Chinese side was led by the Director General of the Boundary and Oceanic Affairs Department of the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The 18th round of high-level military talks between the two sides was held on April 23 during which they agreed to stay in close touch and work out a mutually acceptable solution to the remaining issues in eastern Ladakh at the earliest.

Days later, Chinese Defence Minister Li Shangfu visited India to attend a meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO). On the sidelines of the SCO meeting, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh held a nearly 45-minute bilateral meeting with Li.

In the talks, Singh told his Chinese counterpart that China’s violation of existing border agreements “eroded” the entire basis of ties between the two countries and that all issues relating to the frontier must be resolved in accordance with the existing pacts.

On May 4, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar conveyed to his Chinese counterpart Qin Gang the importance of resolving the eastern Ladakh border row and ensuring peace and tranquillity along the LAC for development of bilateral ties.

A day after the talks, Jaishankar had said at a media briefing that the situation along the border in eastern Ladakh is “abnormal” and India-China relations cannot be normal if peace and tranquility in border areas is disturbed.