India, China agree to stop sending more troops to frontline

The decision came at the sixth round of military talks between the two countries

Indian-army-convoy-ladakh-PTI [File] Army trucks move towards Ladakh via the Leh-Manali Highway, in Manali on Aug 31, 2020 | PTI

Even as the border remains tense in Eastern Ladakh, Indian and Chinese militaries on Tuesday agreed to stop sending more troops to the frontline and refrain from unilaterally changing the situation on the ground. The decisions came at the sixth round of military talks that focused on ways to defuse rising tensions along the treacherous and high-altitude friction points.

“The two sides had candid and in-depth exchanges of views on stabilizing the situation along the LAC (Line of Actual Control) in the India - China border areas. They agreed to earnestly implement the important consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries, strengthen communication on the ground, avoid misunderstandings and misjudgements, stop sending more troops to the frontline, refrain from unilaterally changing the situation on the ground, and avoid taking any actions that may complicate the situation,” an Army spokesperson said.

The two sides also agreed to hold the seventh round of military commander-level m0eeting as soon as possible, he added.

The sixth round of Corps commander-level talks began at around 9 am in Moldo on the Chinese side of the LAC across India's Chushul sector in eastern Ladakh. The Indian delegation was headed by Lt Gen Harinder Singh, the commander of the Leh-based 14 Corps of the Indian Army.

At the 15-hour long meeting, the Indian side conveyed its position as the two delegations extensively deliberated on implementing the five-point agreement reached between India and China on September 10 to ease the border standoff that began in early May. The agreement aimed at ending the tense standoff included measures like quick disengagement of troops, avoiding action that could escalate tensions, adherence to all agreements and protocols on border management and steps to restore peace along the LAC.

Quoting sources, PTI reported that the Indian side pressed for an early and complete disengagement of Chinese troops from all the friction points and insisted it was for China to take the first steps to de-escalate the situation.

For the first time, the Indian team for the military talks also included a senior official from the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA). MEA Joint Secretary Naveen Srivastava, who has been engaged in diplomatic talks with China on the border row under the framework of the Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination (WMCC) on border affairs, was part of the delegation. The team also comprised Lt Gen PGK Menon, who is expected to succeed Singh as the commander of the 14 Corps next month.

At the previous five rounds of Corps commander-level talks, the Indian side insisted on complete disengagement of Chinese troops at the earliest, and immediate restoration of status quo ante in all areas of eastern Ladakh prior to April.

Indian Army has made elaborate arrangements to maintain the current level of troops and weapons in all forward areas in eastern Ladakh and other sensitive high-altitude sectors in the harsh winter months when the temperature drops up to minus 25 degree Celsius.

There have been at least three attempts by the Chinese People's Liberation Army(PLA) to "intimidate" Indian troops along the northern and southern bank of Pangong lake area in the last three weeks where even shots were fired in the air for the first time at the LAC in 45 years, PTI reported quoting Army sources.

The situation in eastern Ladakh deteriorated after China unsuccessfully attempted to occupy Indian territory in the southern bank of Pangong Lake on the intervening night of August 29 and 30.

On September 7, the Chinese troops again made an unsuccessful bid to close in on the Indian position and even fired shots in the air in the Mukhpari area of Rezang-La ridgeline on the southern bank of Pangong lake.

—PTI

📣 The Week is now on Telegram. Click here to join our channel (@TheWeekmagazine) and stay updated with the latest headlines