Ladakh standoff: No breakthrough in yet another round of Indo-China military talks

New Delhi: The stand-off between India and China in eastern Ladakh, which has entered its seventh month, is set to continue through winter with the latest round of Corps Commander level talks Friday ending without a breakthrough.

The eighth round of commander-level meeting between India and China held in Chusul remained inconclusive.

According to a report by NDTV, the government Sunday said that another meeting will be held soon.

In a communique for the media, the government said the two sides had a “candid, in-depth and constructive exchange of views on disengagement along the Line of Actual Control in the Western Sector of India-China border areas”.

“Both sides agreed to earnestly implement the important consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries, ensure their frontline troops to exercise restraint and avoid misunderstanding and miscalculation. Both sides agreed to maintain dialogue and communication through military and diplomatic channels, and, taking forward the discussions at this meeting, push for the settlement of other outstanding issues, so as to jointly maintain peace and tranquillity in the border areas,” the statement read.

A resolution to the situation in Ladakh – where India has been pressing for total disengagement, de-escalation, and restoration of status quo ante in all areas of eastern Ladakh prior to April — has so far proved elusive.

China not only left the disengagement process – started after the National Security Advisor-level talks in August — halfway, but also undertook provocative action meant to change the status quo on the ground through fresh transgressions near Pangong lake.