Eastern Ladakh Row: India And China Have Agreed To Convene The Next Round Of Military Talks As Soon 

On Tuesday, India and China decided to convene the next round of the Senior Commanders’ Meeting as soon as possible in order to achieve total withdrawal from all contention points in eastern Ladakh and restore normalcy in bilateral relations.

There was no actual forward action to resolve the over two-year-old standoff in eastern Ladakh, therefore that was the only decision made at a virtual meeting of the Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination (WMCC) on India-China Border Affairs.

The two sides evaluated the situation along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in the Western Sector of the India-China border areas, according to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), and agreed to hold the next round of the Senior Commanders’ conference “at an early date.”

The previous WMCC meeting took place in November, while the 15th round of military discourse took place on March 11.

“The two sides discussed the existing situation along the LAC in Eastern Ladakh’s Western Sector,” the MEA said.

The two sides evaluated the situation along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in the Western Sector of the India-China border areas, according to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), and agreed to hold the next round of the Senior Commanders’ conference “at an early date.”

The previous WMCC meeting took place in November, while the 15th round of military discourse took place on March 11.

“The two sides discussed the existing situation along the LAC in Eastern Ladakh’s Western Sector,” the MEA said.

According to a Chinese press release, the meeting was a “frank and in-depth exchange of views” on the current situation, and it was agreed to work diligently to implement the important consensus reached by the two countries’ leaders and foreign ministers to reduce tensions and jointly maintain peace and stability in the border areas.

The two sides agreed to keep in touch through diplomatic and military channels, hold the 16th round of military director-level talks as soon as possible, and resolve the remaining issues in the western section of the border under the “principle of mutual and equal security,” according to the statement.

The MEA stated in its statement that since the last WMCC meeting in November, both sides held the 14th and 15th rounds of the Senior Commanders’ meeting in January and March, respectively.

Wang’s March visit to India, during which he met with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, was also mentioned in the MEA statement.

The Indian delegation was led by the MEA’s Additional Secretary (East Asia), while the Chinese delegation was led by the Director-General of the Chinese Foreign Ministry’s Boundary and Oceanic Department.

China’s objective, according to Army Chief Gen Manoj Pande, has been to keep the broader boundary matter with India “alive,” despite the fact that it remains the “fundamental” issue between the two countries.

He stated that the Indian Army’s goal in eastern Ladakh was to restore the status quo ante before April 2020.

Last year, the two parties concluded the disengagement process on the north and south banks of the Pangong Lake, as well as in the Gogra area, as a result of the military discussions.

India has constantly maintained that peace and tranquilly along the LAC are essential for the bilateral relationship’s overall development.

In the sensitive region, each side has between 50,000 and 60,000 troops deployed along the Line of Actual Control (LAC).