The Corps Commander-level talks between the Indian and Chinese military delegates to resolve the border conflict in Eastern Ladakh went on for over 10 hours on Tuesday (June 30). The meeting which started at around 10.30 am Tuesday morning ended at 11 pm.
The dialogue focused on finalising modalities for the disengagement of soldiers from various stand-off points in the Galwan Valley, and explored ways to ease tension in the border region.
The talks took place on the Indian side of Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Chushul sector in eastern Ladakh wherein India has put a strong message that to China's People's Liberation Army (PLA) troops have not aided by the disengagement consensus.
While yesterday's meeting was held in Chushul on the Indian side, the previous two took place in Moldo on the Chinese side.
The Indian delegation at the meeting was headed by 14 Corps Commander Lt Gen Harinder Singh while the Chinese side was led by the Commander of the Tibet Military District Major General Liu Lin.
India demands restoration of status quo ante
In the meeting, the Indian delegation conveyed concerns over China's "new claim lines" in the region and demanded restoration of status quo ante as well as immediate withdrawal of Chinese troops from Galwan Valley, Pangong Tso and a number of other areas.
"All contentious areas during the current standoff were discussed to stabilise the situation," added a source privy to the development.
China has agreed to move back in Pangong Tso but they did not. India claims Line of Actual Control at Finger 8 and Chinese are sitting between at Finger 4 and Finger 5. Similar, differences exist in Depsang and Demchok.
Third meeting between India-China
This is the third meeting between the two sides. The last two meetings at Corp Commander level were held on June 6 and June 22.
On June 22, the talks took place for around 11 hours and the dialogue was held in a cordial, positive and constructive atmosphere and there was a "mutual consensus to disengage".
"Modalities for disengagement from all friction areas in Eastern Ladakh were discussed," the Indian Army had stated.
The meeting between 14 Corps commander Lieutenant General Harinder Singh and South Xinjiang Military District chief Major General Liu Lin took place on the lines of the one they held at the Chushul-Moldo border personnel meeting (BPM) point in Eastern Ladakh on June 6.
Also Major General level dialogue took place for three consecutive days after the barbaric attack at patrolling point 14 in Galwan valley on June 15 night where 20 Indian soldiers were killed.
The dialogue was carried out to ease out the tense situation and to release 10 Indian soldiers, including four officers, who were in Chinese captivity.
Major General Abhijit Bapat, who is the Commander of the 3 Division of the Indian Army, had raised several points with the Chinese with regards to the incident on the night intervening June 15/16.
June 15 was the first time the Indian Army faced casualties in a clash with the China's People's Liberation Army since 1975 when an Indian patrol was ambushed by Chinese troops in Arunachal Pradesh.
China is also said to have used thermal imaging drones to trace the Indian Army soldiers scattered on the treacherous terrain before brutally attacking them.
(With agency inputs)
