India, China Agree To A 5-Point Plan To Ease Border Tensions, Troops Ready For Disengagement At LAC

India and China have agreed on a five-point plan for resolving the prolonged border face-off in eastern Ladakh that included abiding by all existing agreements and protocol on management of the frontier, maintaining peace and tranquility.

Image Courtsey: PTI

In a two and a half hours meeting in Moscow, with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar highlighted its "strong concern at the massing of Chinese troops with equipment along the Line of Actual Control (LAC)", the de facto border between the countries which has inevitably impacted the development of bilateral relations, and therefore, an urgent resolution of the current situation was in the interest of both nations, according to the sources. Also Read|India-China Conflict: Amid Flared-Up Border Tensions, EAM Jaishankar Meets Chinese Foreign Minister In Moscow However, the Chinese side issued a statement saying that the "Indian side does not consider the bilateral relations to be dependent on the situation at the border". Though it did acknowledge that the two are "large developing countries" so what China and India "need right now is cooperation, not confrontation." This is a point India has been trying to drive through. As per sources, the Indian side expressed its strong concern at the massing of Chinese troops with equipment along the Line of Actual Control (LAC). India stated that the presence of such a large concentration of troops was not in accordance with the 1993 and 1996 Agreements and created flashpoints along the LAC. Sources said the Chinese side has not provided a credible explanation for this deployment. The Chinese side said that foreign minister Wang Yi said it was normal for India and China to have differences as neighbors and that relations have once again come to a crossroads. But challenges can be overcome. According to recent reports, both the countries have agreed to honour the existing border agreement, in order o avoid further tension. Both India and China do not want to escalate the situation and agreed to disengage to ease tensions at the border. The Ministry of External Affairs(MEA) issued a joint press statement early on Friday featuring five points which were agreed by both sides at the "frank and constructive" discussions by the two ministers. "The two foreign ministers agreed that the current situation in the border areas is not in the interest of either side. They agreed, therefore, that the border troops of both sides should continue their dialogue, quickly disengage, maintain proper distance and ease tensions," it said. The joint statement said Jaishankar and Wang agreed that both sides should take guidance from the series of a consensus reached between leaders of the two countries on developing India-China relations, including not allowing differences to become disputes. This assessment was a clear reference to decisions taken by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping at their two informal summits in 2018 and 2019. "The two ministers agreed that both sides shall abide by all the existing agreements and protocol on China-India boundary affairs, maintain peace and tranquility in the border areas and avoid any action that could escalate matters," the joint statement said. At the talks, Jaishankar and Wang agreed that as the situation eases on the border, the two sides should expedite work to conclude new confidence-building measures to maintain and enhance peace and tranquility in the border areas. Also Watch|India, China jot down 5-point formula to restore peace along LAC