New Delhi: On Wednesday, representatives from India and China met face-to-face for diplomatic talks, during which they "frankly and openly" reviewed options for disengagement in the remaining contention points along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh.
The MEA reported that in order to restore peace and tranquilly to the border areas, both sides have decided to hold the 19th round of high-level military discussions as soon as possible.
The WMCC, or Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination on India-China Border Affairs, provided the structure for the gathering.
Despite completing pullout from various regions after extensive diplomatic and military talks, Indian and Chinese troops are embroiled in a conflict at specific friction locations in eastern Ladakh that has lasted for more than three years.
There was an open and frank discussion of disengagement ideas in the remaining areas, and the situation along the LAC in the Western Sector of India-China border areas was examined.
The MEA noted that if peace and quiet are restored, then bilateral relations may return to normal.
To that end, "they agreed to hold the next (19th) round of Senior Commander's meeting at an early date in accordance with existing bilateral agreements and protocols," the statement read.
According to the MEA, both parties have agreed to keep talking through official military and diplomatic channels.
The gathering was the WMCC's 27th gathering. The World Meteorological and Climate Council last met on February 22 in Beijing.
The Indian delegation was led by the Ministry of External Affairs' Joint Secretary (East Asia).
The Chinese delegation was headed by the Foreign Ministry's Director General for Boundary and Oceanic Affairs.
The two sides resolved to keep in close contact and find a mutually acceptable solution to the remaining concerns in eastern Ladakh as soon as possible during the 18th session of high-level military discussions on April 23.
A few days later, China's minister of defence, Li Shangfu, travelled to India for a SCO summit.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh met with Li for about 45 minutes in a bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the SCO summit.
Singh informed his Chinese colleague that all border issues must be resolved in accordance with the existing pacts, and that China's breach of existing border agreements "eroded" the entire basis of ties between the two countries.
The necessity of settling the eastern Ladakh border dispute and maintaining calm along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) was stressed by India's Minister of External Affairs, S. Jaishankar, to China's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Qin Gang, on May 4.
The day after the discussions, Jaishankar addressed the media and said that the situation along the border in eastern Ladakh is "abnormal" and that peace and tranquilly in border areas cannot be normal if there is conflict there.
On May 5, 2020, a violent incident in the Pangong lake area sparked the eastern Ladakh border stalemate.
The war in the Galwan Valley in June 2020 was the bloodiest military confrontation between the two countries in decades, and it had a devastating effect on relations between them.
Disengagement on both sides of Pangong Lake and in the Gogra region was finalised in 2021 after extensive military and diplomatic negotiations.
The MEA reported that in order to restore peace and tranquilly to the border areas, both sides have decided to hold the 19th round of high-level military discussions as soon as possible.
The WMCC, or Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination on India-China Border Affairs, provided the structure for the gathering.
Despite completing pullout from various regions after extensive diplomatic and military talks, Indian and Chinese troops are embroiled in a conflict at specific friction locations in eastern Ladakh that has lasted for more than three years.
There was an open and frank discussion of disengagement ideas in the remaining areas, and the situation along the LAC in the Western Sector of India-China border areas was examined.
The MEA noted that if peace and quiet are restored, then bilateral relations may return to normal.
To that end, "they agreed to hold the next (19th) round of Senior Commander's meeting at an early date in accordance with existing bilateral agreements and protocols," the statement read.
According to the MEA, both parties have agreed to keep talking through official military and diplomatic channels.
The gathering was the WMCC's 27th gathering. The World Meteorological and Climate Council last met on February 22 in Beijing.
The Indian delegation was led by the Ministry of External Affairs' Joint Secretary (East Asia).
The Chinese delegation was headed by the Foreign Ministry's Director General for Boundary and Oceanic Affairs.
The two sides resolved to keep in close contact and find a mutually acceptable solution to the remaining concerns in eastern Ladakh as soon as possible during the 18th session of high-level military discussions on April 23.
A few days later, China's minister of defence, Li Shangfu, travelled to India for a SCO summit.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh met with Li for about 45 minutes in a bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the SCO summit.
Singh informed his Chinese colleague that all border issues must be resolved in accordance with the existing pacts, and that China's breach of existing border agreements "eroded" the entire basis of ties between the two countries.
The necessity of settling the eastern Ladakh border dispute and maintaining calm along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) was stressed by India's Minister of External Affairs, S. Jaishankar, to China's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Qin Gang, on May 4.
The day after the discussions, Jaishankar addressed the media and said that the situation along the border in eastern Ladakh is "abnormal" and that peace and tranquilly in border areas cannot be normal if there is conflict there.
On May 5, 2020, a violent incident in the Pangong lake area sparked the eastern Ladakh border stalemate.
The war in the Galwan Valley in June 2020 was the bloodiest military confrontation between the two countries in decades, and it had a devastating effect on relations between them.
Disengagement on both sides of Pangong Lake and in the Gogra region was finalised in 2021 after extensive military and diplomatic negotiations. —Inputs from Agencies
