Ladakh Standoff: In Military Meet, India Seeks Restoration Of Status Quo At LAC; China Says Halt Construction

The Indian delegation was led by Lt General Harinder Singh, the general officer commanding of Leh-based 14 Corps, while the Chinese side was headed by the Commander of the Tibet Military District.

The hours-long meeting between military commanders of India and China at the Border Personnel Meeting Point in Maldo. (File Photo/ Getty)

New Delhi: Soon after Army commanders of both India and China held first of its kind military-level meeting to resolve the days long stand-off between the two Asian nations to resolve the border dispute, it is being learnt that India has sought restoration of status quo as on April 2020 at Pangong Lake in Ladakh. The Indian delegation, led by Lieutenant General General Harinder Singh, the general officer commanding of Leh-based 14 Corps, also asked China to bring down its mobilisation in the Galwan valley and wanted troops to be sent to their previous location. Even Chinese Army, headed by Major General Liu Lin, who is the commander of South Xinjiang Military Region of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA), asked India stop halt its road construction in Pangong Tso (lake) region and Galwan Valley. ALSO WATCH | India To Answer Chinese Transgression On Land Via Sea Route However, sources said that India maintained its movements in Ladakh stating that the construction work is taking place along the Line of Actual Control (LAC). The hours-long meeting between military commanders of India and China at the Border Personnel Meeting Point in Maldo on the Chinese side of the LAC came to an end in the evening and the Indian delegation returned to Leh after the discussions. Without specifically mentioning the talks, an Indian Army spokesperson said, "Indian and Chinese officials continue to remain engaged through the established military and diplomatic channels to address the current situation in the India-China border areas." Saturday's meeting took place after 12 rounds of talks between local commanders of the two armies and three rounds of discussions at the level of major general-rank officials could not produce any tangible outcome. The high-level military dialogue took place a day after the two countries held diplomatic talks during which both sides agreed to handle their "differences" through peaceful discussions while respecting each other's sensitivities and concerns. Currently, Chinese army is learnt to have deployed around 2,500 troops in Pangong Tso and Galwan Valley besides gradually enhancing temporary infrastructure and weaponry. The sources closed to news agency PTI said that satellite images have captured significant ramping up of defence infrastructure by China on its side of the LAC, the de-facto border, including upgrading a military airbase around 180 km from the Pangong Tso area. ALSO WATCH | India China Standoff: Key Meet Between Indian and Chinese Military Generals The trigger for the face-off was China's stiff opposition to India laying a key road in the Finger area around the Pangong Tso Lake besides construction of another road connecting the Darbuk-Shayok-Daulat Beg Oldie road in Galwan Valley. The situation in eastern Ladakh deteriorated after around 250 Chinese and Indian soldiers were engaged in a violent face-off on May 5 and 6. The incident in Pangong Tso was followed by a similar incident in north Sikkim on May 9.