India-China defence officials discuss peace along border

Top defence officials from India and China had a quiet meeting to discuss how the two sides would maintain peace while guarding the 4,056 km long disputed boundary

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At the eighth meeting of China-India Defence and Security Consultation held on Tuesday, the visiting delegation was led by deputy chief of the Joint Staff Department of China’s Central Military Commission Sun Jianguo while the Indian team was headed by Defence Secretary G Mohan Kumar.

Jianguo said the Chinese military was willing to join hands with the Indian Army to strengthen the border management so as to safeguard peace and stability in the border areas. The two neighbours are in constant dialogue on how to reduce flare ups, often seen in Jammu and Kashmir, Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh.

In the absence of a demarcated boundary, friction between the border guarding troops from both sides and entry into each other’s territory happen regularly, though officials from both nations deny any motivated intrusion.

Last year, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar informed Parliament that Chinese troops transgressed 1,278 times between 2010 and 2013. In 2013, there was a three-week long face-off between the troops of either side near Daulat Beg Oldie in the Ladakh region.

In October 2013, the two countries signed border defence cooperation agreement to ensure that patrolling issues didn’t lead to an armed conflict. However, the transgression along the border and in the general area of Pangong Tso lake as well as the stand-off between the guards continued.

The latest stand-off took place last week in Demchok, located 250 km east of Leh, where India was carrying out construction of an irrigation canal.

Around 60 People Liberation Army personnel arrived at the locality and sought to halt the work.