India and China held “constructive” diplomatic talks on Thursday on proposals to resolve the remaining issues and achieve a full withdrawal in eastern Ladakh, but there were no signs of any major breakthrough. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said the two sides had decided to hold another round of senior commanders’ meetings as soon as possible to achieve the “goal” and that it was agreed to ensure a stable situation on the ground and avoid any incident.
It said the two sides reviewed the situation and engaged in an “open, constructive and in-depth” discussion on proposals to resolve the remaining issues and achieve a full withdrawal in eastern Ladakh.
The virtual talks were held under the Working Mechanism for India-China Border Consultation and Coordination (WMCC).
Gourangalal Das, Joint Secretary (East Asia) in the Ministry of External Affairs, led the Indian delegation. The Chinese team was headed by the Director General of Border and Ocean Affairs at the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
“Both sides reviewed the situation along the LAC in the western sector of the Indo-China border areas and engaged in an open, constructive and in-depth discussion on proposals to resolve the outstanding issues and achieve complete withdrawal in eastern Ladakh,” he added. MEA said in a statement.
“They further agreed on the need to maintain peace and tranquility along the border areas, ensure a stable situation on the ground and avoid any unexpected incident,” it said.
In the last round of military talks in October, the Indian side strongly pressed for the resolution of the lingering problems in Depsang and Demchok.
Indian and Chinese troops are locked in a more than three-year standoff at certain flashpoints in eastern Ladakh, even as both sides have withdrawn from several areas after extensive diplomatic and military negotiations.
India insists that relations with China cannot be normal unless there is peace in the border areas.
On 5 May 2020, a standoff occurred on the eastern border of Ladakh following violent clashes in the Pangong Lake region.
Ties between the two countries have deteriorated significantly following a violent clash in the Galwan Valley in June 2020, which marked the most serious military conflict between the two sides in decades.
After a series of military and diplomatic talks, the two countries completed the separation process on the northern and southern banks of Pangong Lake and the Gogra region in 2021.
