With the disengagement in the Pangong Lake area, India and China held the 10th round of military talks, the WMCC meeting, and a telephonic conversation between the two countries’ foreign ministers.
According to sources, the 11th round of military talks between India and China over the Ladakh border standoff is scheduled for April 9.
Both parties are expected to talk about disengaging from existing conflict zones in the Depsang plains, Gogra, and the Hot Springs region.
India has stated unequivocally that it will agree to a de-escalation only if it is simultaneous, equal on both sides, and addresses mutual security concerns.
Following a violent clash in the Pangong lake areas on May 5, last year, the border standoff between the Indian and Chinese militaries erupted, and both sides gradually increased their deployment by rushing in tens of thousands of soldiers as well as heavy weaponry.
Following a series of military and diplomatic talks, the two sides completed the withdrawal of troops and weapons from the north and south banks of Pangong Lake in February, in accordance with a disengagement agreement.
India insisted on resolving outstanding issues in Depsang, Hot Springs, and Gogra during the subsequent military talks on February 20.
India has insisted that peace and tranquillity along the border are critical to the overall relationship between the two countries. Last week, Army Chief Gen MM Naravane stated that the threat to India has only “abated” as a result of the disengagement in the Pangong lake areas, but it has not vanished entirely. The Army Chief stated that the political leadership stated unequivocally that it must return to the status quo of April 2020, and that this remained India’s bottom line throughout all negotiations.
