India and China are holding their ninth round of military-level talks today to defuse the border tension between the two countries and discuss measures to expedite the long-negotiated disengagement process in eastern Ladakh. The talks would be held in Moldo opposite the Chushul sector. The meeting to resolve the ongoing conflict began at 9:30am.
"The focus of the talks is going to be on the disengagement process," news agency PTI reported, citing a source.
Indian and Chinese troops have been locked in a bitter border standoff in eastern Ladakh for over eight months as multiple rounds of diplomatic and military talks have not yet produced any major breakthrough. India has all along been maintaining that the onus is on China to carry forward the process of disengagement and de-escalation at the friction points in the mountainous region.
In the last round of talks on November 6, both sides had broadly discussed the disengagement of troops from specific friction points in eastern Ladakh.
The simmering border tensions between the two flared up manifold in June when troops of both countries engaged in a violent face-off in Galwan Valley in eastern Ladakh, in which 20 Indian soldiers were martyred and several others injured.
Following the sixth round of military talks on September 21, the two sides had announced a host of decisions including not to send more troops to the frontline, refrain from unilaterally changing the situation on the ground and avoid taking any actions that may further complicate matters.
India has deployed around 50,000 soldiers in various mountainous locations in eastern Ladakh in sub-zero temperatures. China has also deployed an equal number of troops.
Meanwhile, in a clear message to China, Chief of Army Staff GenM M Naravane last week said India is committed to resolving the eastern Ladakh standoff through talks but no one should make any mistake of testing its patience. The Indian Army is ready to stand its ground in eastern Ladakh for as long as it takes to resolve the stand-off, Naravane said, acknowledging that China is “manifesting itself” on the ground but added that the Indian forces are prepared to handle any eventuality.