India, China Agree To Hold Next Round of Corps Commander-level Talks At The Earliest: MEA

India and China agreed at the previous round of Corps Commander-level talks to stay in close contact and maintain dialogue via military and diplomatic channels to work out a mutually acceptable resolution of the remaining issues related to the LAC in the western sector at the earliest, the Ministry of External Affairs said on Friday.

Asked about the border standoff with China, Ministry of External Affairs Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said, “As you are aware, the 14th round of India-China Corps Commander level meeting was held on January 12 this year. The two sides agreed that resolution of the remaining issues at the earliest would help in the restoration of peace and tranquillity along the LAC in the western sector and enable progress in bilateral relations.” “The two sides agreed to stay in close contact and maintain dialogue via military and diplomatic channels and work out a mutually acceptable resolution of the remaining issues at the earliest,” he said.

In this context it was also agreed that the next round of the commanders level talks should be held at the earliest, Bagchi added. The eastern Ladakh border standoff between the Indian and Chinese militaries erupted on May 5, 2020, following a violent clash in the Pangong lake area.

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 the disengagement process last year in the north and south banks of the Pangong lake and in the Gogra area.

Each side currently has around 50,000 to 60,000 troops along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in the sensitive sector.

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