India, China Agree On Phased De-escalation At Border

India and China have emphasised the need for an expeditious, phased and stepwise de-escalation of tension along the Line of Actual Control “as a priority” during the third commander level talks between the People’s Liberation Army and Indian Army held at Chushul, Ladakh, on June 30, sources privy to the matter told ANI on Wednesday.

India and China have been engaged in discussions through established military and diplomatic channels to address the situation along the LAC in India-China border areas.

This was third senior military commander level engagement in Chushul held to discuss issues related to disengagement at the faceoff sites along the LAC and de-escalation from the border areas.

“Both sides have emphasised the need for an expeditious, phased and stepwise de-escalation as a priority,” sources said.

“This is in keeping with the agreement between the External Affairs Minister and his Chinese counterpart during their conversation on 17th June that the overall situation would be handled in a responsible manner, and that both sides would implement the disengagement understanding of 6th June sincerely,” they added.

The meeting yesterday was long and held in a businesslike manner keeping in view the Covid-19 protocols. The discussions reflected the commitment of both sides to reduce the tensions along the LAC. The process of disengagement along the LAC is complex and in such a context, speculative and unsubstantiated reports need to be avoided.

Sources also said that more meetings are expected to be held both at the military and at the diplomatic level, in the future, to arrive at a mutually agreeable solutions and to ensure peace and tranquility along the LAC as per bilateral agreements and protocols.

The second round of talks took place in Moldo on the Chinese side of the LAC whereby the two sides reached a mutual consensus to disengage in the Eastern Ladakh sector.

India and China have been involved in talks to ease the ongoing border tensions since last month. Twenty Indian soldiers lost their lives in a violent face-off in Galwan valley on June 15-16 after an attempt by the Chinese troops to unilaterally change the status quo during the de-escalation. (ANI)