New Delhi, March 12
Military Commanders of India and China, who met last night failed to resolve the pending issues at the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh.
The two sides are locked in a military stand-off since April 2020 with more than thousands of troops, guns, tanks and missile forces on either side of the LAC. The build-up, for now, shows no signs of getting back to pre-April 2020 levels.
The meeting that ended last night was the 15thround of talks.
The two sides carried forward their discussions from the previous round held on January 12 for the resolution of the relevant issues along the LAC in the Western Sector.
“Agreed to maintain dialogue via military and diplomatic channels to reach a mutually acceptable resolution of the remaining issues at the earliest,” said a statement. Itindicates more parleys would be needed.
“They (the military commanders) reaffirmed that such a resolution would help restore peace and tranquillity along the LAC in the Western Sector and facilitate progress in bilateral relations,” the statement said.
The meeting started at 10 am at Chushul on the Indian side of the Chushul-Moldo meeting point at the LAC in Eastern Ladakh.
The two sides discussed disengagement of troops at patrolling point PP-15, also known as Hot Springs. The issue of the Depsang Bulge, a 972 sq km plateau, would be taken up after the Hot Springs gets resolved. Also patrolling in disputed areas is suspended since April 2020.
Indian is looking for graded resolution anda three-step process to ease the standoff: disengagement of troops, de-escalation of tension followed by de-induction of all troops, weapons and equipment.
Till these steps are completed, Indian troops intends to remain at the LAC that is un-demarcated on ground. India shares a 832-km LAC with China in the Eastern Ladakh sector.
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