Ladakh Standoff: 7th Corps Commander-Level Talks With China Positive & Constructive, Says Indian Army

The talks began at around 12 noon in Chushul on the Indian side of the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh and was attended by top military commanders

Military vehicles carrying military material on their way to Leh (Ladakh), on Indo-China border. (Image: PTI)

New Delhi: The seventh round of Corps Commander-level talks between the Indian and Chinese army is over and heads of both troops have stated that the meeting was positive and constructive. As per reports, the talks began at around 12 noon in Chushul on the Indian side of the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh and was attended by top military commanders as well as representatives of the foreign ministries of both nations. Soon after the meeting, Spokesperson of Indian Army said that the discussions were positive, constructive and had enhanced understanding of each other’s positions. "Both sides agreed to maintain dialogue through military & diplomatic channels, & arrive at a mutually acceptable solution for disengagement as early as possible," the Army Spokesperson said. "On 12 Oct, 7th round of Senior Commanders meeting of India-China was held in Chushul. The two sides had a sincere, in-depth & constructive exchange of views on disengagement along Line of Actual Control in the Western Sector of India-China border areas," the Spokesperson said. "Both sides agreed to earnestly implement the important understandings reached by the leaders of the two countries, not to turn differences into disputes, and jointly safeguard peace and tranquility in the border areas," the Spokesperson added. Meanwhile, Beijing, in a joint statement said the two sides had a sincere and in-depth exchange of views and enhanced understanding of each other’s positions on the disengagement of their front-line troops along the area of Line of Actual Control in the western sector of the India-China border. According to sources, the Indian side remained firm on its demand for an early and complete disengagement of troops by China from all the friction points in eastern Ladakh. As the border standoff entered the sixth month, an early resolution to the row appeared dim with close to 100,000 Indian and Chinese troops remaining deployed in the high-altitude region and showing readiness for a long-haul. The Indian delegation is led by Lt Gen Harinder Singh, the commander of the Leh-based 14 Corps, and includes Naveen Srivastava, Joint Secretary (East Asia) in the Ministry of External Affairs(MEA). It is learnt an official of the Chinese foreign ministry is also part of the Chinese delegation. During the sixth round of Corps commander talks on September 21, the Chinese People's Liberation Army(PLA) insisted on withdrawal of troops by the Indian Army from several strategic heights in Mukhpari, Rezang La and Magar hill areas around the southern bank of Pangong lake. Indian troops had occupied the strategic heights after the PLA soldiers attempted to intimidate them in the southern bank of Pangong lake on the intervening night of August 29 and 30.