India, China Hold First Talks On Border Standoff After Tawang Clash, Agree To Maintain 'Security, Stability'

This was the first meet between the two sides after troops of both the countries clashed recently in Arunachal Pradesh's Tawang along the LAC.

Amid the 30-month border standoff in eastern Ladakh, India and China held the 17th round of Corp Commanders meet on December 20 at the Chushul-Mondo border. This was the first meeting between the two sides after Indian and Chinese troops recently clashed along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in the Tawang sector and the face-off led to "minor injuries to a few personnel from both sides".

The incident came amid the over 30-month border standoff in eastern Ladakh.

The MEA said both sides had "frank and in-depth" talks based on the "guidance" given by the leaders. The two sides exchanged views on the resolution of the relevant issues along the LAC in the western sector in an "open and constructive manner".

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"Both sides have agreed to maintain security and stability on the ground and maintain a steady channel of communication," MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said at a media briefing Thursday. 

"The two sides agreed to stay in close contact and maintain dialogue through military and diplomatic channels and work out a mutually acceptable resolution of the remaining issues at the earliest," Bagchi further said.

In September, Indian and Chinese troops completed the disengagement process at Patrolling Point-15 in the Gogra-Hot Springs region of eastern Ladakh. The development came following the 16th round of the India-China Corps Commander-level meeting, which was held at the Chushul-Moldo border in July.

Last year, the two sides completed the disengagement process on the north and south banks of Pangong lake.

The eastern Ladakh border standoff between the Indian and Chinese militaries erupted on May 5, 2020, following a violent clash in the Pangong lake area.

More than 20 Indian soldiers were killed in a clash with Chinese troops in the Galwan Valley in eastern Ladakh in June 2020. The casualties on the Chinese side were much higher, reports said.

Each side currently has around 50,000 to 60,000 troops along the Line of Actual Control.

Earlier this year, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar met Chinese Foreign minister and State Councillor Wang Yi in Bali during the G-20 foreign ministers' meeting and called for an early resolution to the more than a two-year-long standoff.