13th round of military talks to resolve LAC issues between India and China fails to break impasse

New Delhi: India and China on Sunday (October 10, 2021) held the 13th round of military talks at the Chushul-Moldo border meeting point to discuss resolution of the remaining issues along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Eastern Ladakh. During the meeting, as per the official statement by the Indian Army, India made constructive suggestions for resolving the remaining areas but the Chinese side did not agree and was unable to provide any forward-looking proposals. 

"The meeting thus did not result in resolution of the remaining areas," the official statement read.

The Indian side also pointed out that the situation along the LAC had been caused by unilateral attempts of the Chinese side to alter the status quo and in violation of the bilateral agreements. 

"It was, therefore, necessary that the Chinese side take appropriate steps in the remaining areas so as to restore peace and tranquillity along the LAC in the Western Sector," the statement added.

The Indian side also emphasised that such resolution of the remaining areas would facilitate progress in the bilateral relations. 

The two sides have now agreed to maintain communications and also to maintain stability on the ground. 

"It is our expectation that the Chinese side will take into account the overall perspective of bilateral relations and will work towards early resolution of the remaining issues while fully abiding by bilateral agreements and protocols," the statement from the Indian Army said.

The top commanders of the Indian and Chinese military had last met in July at the Chushul-Moldo border meeting point on the Indian side. The talks had reportedly lasted for nearly nine hours during which the two sides had agreed to resolve the remaining issues in an expeditious manner in accordance with the existing agreements and protocols and maintain the momentum of dialogue and negotiations.

The 13th round of talks took place in the backdrop of two recent incidents of attempted transgressions by China's People's Liberation Army (PLA) troops -- one in the Barahoti sector of Uttarakhand and another in the Tawang sector in Arunachal Pradesh. The Indian and Chinese army personnel were reportedly engaged in a brief face-off near Yangtse in the Tawang sector of Arunachal Pradesh last week and it was resolved within few hours following talks between commanders of the two sides as per established protocols.

In August, close to 100 soldiers of PLA soldiers had reportedly transgressed the LAC in the Barahoti sector and returned from the area after spending few hours.

Earlier on October 2, Army chief Gen Manoj Mukund Naravane had said that the increase in the deployment by Chinese troops across the border was a matter of concern. He, however, stated that India has made matching deployments in terms of troops and infrastructure in its areas along the LAC and there was no way anyone would be able to behave in an aggressive manner again.

This is to be noted that the border standoff between the Indian and Chinese militaries took place last year following a violent clash in the Pangong lake areas. Both sides then gradually enhanced their deployment by rushing in tens of thousands of soldiers as well as heavy weaponry. Subsequently, as a result of a series of military and diplomatic talks, the two sides completed the withdrawal of troops and weapons from the north and south banks of the Pangong lake in line with an agreement on disengagement in February this year.

(With agency inputs)

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