'Agreed on Early Resolution, Stable Ground Situation': MEA on Indo-China Talks

India and China decided to find an early resolution to the remaining issues along the LAC, the government said.

China had installed a fibre optic network at certain remote locations of the western Himalayas during the height of the border stand-off with India in 2020.

(Photo: The Quint/Aroop Mishra)

India and China, during another round of talks on the border issues between the two countries, decided to find an early resolution to the remaining issues along the Line of Actual Control (LAC).

At the 23rd meeting of the Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination on India-China Border Affairs (WMCC) held on Thursday, 18 November, "the two sides had candid and in-depth discussions on the situation along the LAC in Western Sector of India-China Border areas," the Ministry of External Affairs said.

"In this regard they agreed on the need to find an early resolution to the remaining issues along the LAC in Eastern Ladakh while fully abiding by bilateral agreements and protocols so as to restore peace and tranquility."

Ministry of External Affairs

"The two sides also agreed that both sides should in the interim also continue to ensure a stable ground situation and avoid any untoward incident," the MEA statement added.

The Indian delegation was led by additional secretary (East Asia) from the Ministry of External Affairs. The director general of the boundary and oceanic department of the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs led the Chinese delegation.

It was further agreed in the meeting that both sides should hold the next round of talks, the 14th round of the Senior Commanders meeting, at an early date, in order to "achieve the objective of complete disengagement from all the friction points along the LAC in the Western Sector in accordance with the existing bilateral agreements and protocols."

What Had Happened During the Previous Round of Talks?

The 13th round of Corps Commander talks between the Indian and the Chinese militaries, held at Chushul-Moldo border on 10 October, had been unsuccessful and "did not result in a resolution," the army had indicated in a press release.

The talks had been held in order to resolve the military stand-off in Eastern Ladakh.

"During the meeting, the Indian side therefore made constructive suggestions for resolving the remaining areas but the Chinese side was not agreeable and also could not provide any forward-looking proposals. The meeting thus did not result in resolution of the remaining areas," the Indian Army had said.