LAC talks: India, China for ‘intensified contact’ to ‘narrow down differences’

The expression “narrow down the differences” has been used for the first time in the bilateral talks on the border standoff and, in diplomatic parlance, indicates progress in the negotiations.

It assumes significance given that the Kremlin said two days ago that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has “confirmed his readiness” to take part in the BRICS Summit in Kazan, Russia, in October. It will provide the Prime Minister and Chinese President Xi Jinping an opportunity to meet on the summit sidelines.

The MEA, in its statement, said, “The 31st meeting of the Working Mechanism for Consultation & Coordination on India-China Border Affairs (WMCC) was held on 29th August 2024 in Beijing. Gourangalal Das, Joint Secretary (East Asia) from the Ministry of External Affairs led the Indian delegation. The Chinese delegation was led by Hong Liang, Director General of the Boundary & Ocean Affairs Department of the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs.”

“In line with the guidance provided by two Foreign Ministers’ meetings in Astana and Vientiane in July 2024 to accelerate their discussion, and building on the WMCC meeting held last month,” it said, “the two sides had a frank, constructive and forward-looking exchange of views on the situation along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) to narrow down the differences and find early resolution of the outstanding issues”.

“For this, they further agreed for intensified contact through diplomatic and military channels,” it said.

After the WMCC meeting in July, the MEA had said that both sides agreed to “maintain the momentum” through established diplomatic and military channels. This time, “intensified contact” has been underlined, suggesting a sense of urgency in the negotiations.

“In the meantime”, the MEA statement said, “they decided to jointly uphold peace and tranquillity on the ground in border areas in accordance with relevant bilateral agreements, protocols and understandings reached between the two Governments. It was reiterated that restoration of peace and tranquillity, and respect for LAC are the essential basis for restoration of normalcy in bilateral relations.”

After the July meeting, the MEA had said that restoration of peace and tranquillity, and respect for the LAC are “an essential basis” for restoration of normalcy in bilateral relations. This time, the statement said that respect for LAC is “the essential basis” – giving a more definitive tone to the statement.

The leader of the Indian delegation also called on the Vice Minister in the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the MEA said.

The July meeting of the WMCC was held in New Delhi.

Usually, Corps Commander-level talks take place between two WMCC meetings. But it did not happen this time, indicating that the diplomatic track is being pursued currently, rather than the military talks.

The remaining friction points along the LAC in eastern Ladakh primarily include legacy ones such as Depsang Plains and Demchok. The last formal disengagement along the LAC took place in September 2022 when both sides pulled back troops to disengage from Patrolling Point-15 in the Gogra-Hot Springs area of eastern Ladakh.

Friction points such as Galwan Valley, north and south banks of Pangong Tso and the Gogra-Hot Springs area have seen some amount of resolution since the beginning of the standoff with the creation of buffer zones along the LAC.

The two sides have each deployed around 50,000-60,000 troops along the LAC in eastern Ladakh.