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No breakthrough in talks between Indian, Chinese military commanders

It was the 12th round of talks between them since the stand-off started in April-May 2020
Last Updated 03 August 2021, 05:40 IST

The latest round of talks between Indian and Chinese military commanders did not yield a breakthrough, contrary to speculation that the two sides might agree on withdrawing troops from at least two of the remaining face-off points – Gogra and Hot Springs – along the Line of Actual Control (LAC).

The two sides failed to make any headway in the talks to resolve the 16-month-long stand-off, because the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) had backtracked on the proposed agreement for withdrawing troops from Hot Springs and the Indian Army had reservation about clinching a deal only for disengagement from Gogra. The Indian Army also insisted on some progress in negotiation for similar disengagement from other face-off points along the LAC. But the Chinese PLA was not ready to discuss withdrawal of troops from Demchok and Depsang Plains.

They, however, issued a joint press-release agreeing to resolve the “remaining issues in an expeditious manner in accordance with the existing agreements and protocols and maintain the momentum of dialogue and negotiations”.

The senior commanders of the Indian Army and the Chinese PLA had a meeting last Saturday. It was the 12th round of talks between them since the stand-off started in April-May 2020 in the wake of the Chinese PLA’s move to unilaterally alter the status quo along the LAC – the de facto boundary between the two nations – and the counter-deployment by the Indian Army to resist the attempt.

The two sides issued a joint press-release both in New Delhi and Beijing on Monday – two days after the talks between the military commanders were held amid speculation that it might end with two sides clinching a deal for withdrawing troops at Gogra and Hot Springs. The press-release, however, had no mention about any agreement on the two face-off points, which were perceived to be the “low-hanging fruits” in the complex negotiation for resolving the stand-off, after the disengagement on northern and southern bank of Pangong Tso earlier this year.

The two sides stated that they had “a candid and in-depth” exchange of views on resolution of remaining areas related to disengagement along the LAC. They noted that the meeting had been “constructive”, which had “further enhanced mutual understanding”.

A source in New Delhi said that the 12th round of talks between the military commanders of the two nations did not yield a breakthrough as the Chinese PLA was not ready to hold discussion with the Indian Army for disengagement in Demchok and Depsang Plains and even refused to pull out troops from Hot Springs. The Indian Army decided against clinching a deal only on Gogra, without an agreement on Hot Springs and some positive signals from the Chinese PLA on Demchok and Depsang Plains, said the source.

After External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar had met his counterpart in the Chinese Government, Wang Yi, in Dushanbe on July 14, New Delhi had claimed that India and China had agreed that when the military commanders of the two nations would hold the next round of talks, they should discuss about all remaining face-off points.

The Indian Army and the Chinese PLA however on Saturday agreed to continue effective efforts in ensuring stability along the LAC in the western Sector and jointly maintain peace and tranquillity till the stand-off could be completely resolved

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(Published 02 August 2021, 17:06 IST)

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