NEW DELHI, Apr 10: India and China have agreed to jointly maintain stability on the ground, and avoid any new incidents in eastern Ladakh.
A day after their 11th round of military level talks, the Indian Army on Saturday said the two sides agreed on the need to resolve the outstanding issues in an expeditious manner in accordance with the existing agreements and protocols.
Official sources said the focus of current military talks was on negotiating the next steps of a complex disengagement process that was completed in Pangong Tso in mid-February with the pull back of front-line troops and weapons. The Indian Army is focussing on resolving outstanding problems with the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) of China at Hot Springs, Gogra and Depsang.
“The two sides had a detailed exchange of views for the resolution of the remaining issues related to disengagement along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Eastern Ladakh,” Indian army said.
“The two sides agreed on the need to resolve the outstanding issues in an expeditious manner in accordance with the existing agreements and protocols,” the Army said in a statement.
In this context, the Army said it was also highlighted that completion of disengagement in other areas would pave the way for the two sides to consider de-escalation of forces and ensure full restoration of peace and tranquillity and enable progress in bilateral relations.
“The two sides agreed that it was important to take guidance from the consensus of their leaders, continue their communication and dialogue and work towards a mutually acceptable resolution of the remaining issues at the earliest,” it added.
“They also agreed to jointly maintain stability on the ground, avoid any new incidents and jointly maintain peace in the border areas,” the statement said.
The 11th round of Corps Commander-level talks took place at the Chushul border point on the Indian side of the LAC in eastern Ladakh. The parleys began at around 10:30 AM and ended at 11:30 PM.
The Indian Army told the PLA that completion of disengagement at all friction points on the disputed border would set the stage for the two sides to “consider de-escalation of forces, ensure full restoration of peace and tranquility, and enable progress in bilateral relations,” the Indian Army said a day after the talks.
The border standoff between the armies of India and China erupted on May 5 last following a violent clash in the Pangong lake areas in eastern Ladakh and both sides gradually enhanced their deployment by rushing in tens of thousands of soldiers as well as heavy weaponry.
As a result of a series of military and diplomatic talks, the two sides completed withdrawal of troops and weapons from the North and South banks of Pangong lake in February in line with an agreement on disengagement.
At a marathon 16-hour meeting between senior commanders on February 20, the Indian and Chinese armies agreed to resolve outstanding issues at friction points on the LAC in a “steady and orderly” manner and were unanimous that the Pangong Tso disengagement provided “a good basis” for resolving pending problems.
(Manas Dasgupta)
