India-China talks focus on Hot Springs

New Delhi, March 11

Military Commanders of India and China met yet again on Friday in an attempt to resolve the issues at the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh. This was the first meeting of the two sides in two months. The last was held on January 12.

The meeting, which started at 10 am at Chushul on the Indian side of the Chushul-Moldo meeting point at the LAC, was continuing till 8:30 pm. The two sides are discussing disengagement of troops at Patrolling Point-15, also known as Hot Springs. The issue of Depsang Bulge, a 972-sq-km plateau, would be taken up after the Hot Springs gets resolved. Patrolling in the disputed areas is suspended as the two sides are locked a military standoff since April 2020 and the troop build-up on either side, for now, shows no signs of getting back to the pre-April 2020 levels.

Indian is looking for graded resolution and a three-step process to ease the standoff — disengagement of troops, de-escalation of tension and de-induction of all troops, weapons and equipment.

Till these steps are completed, Indian troops intend to remain at the LAC that is un-demarcated on ground. India shares a 832-km-long Line of Actual Control with China in the eastern Ladakh sector.

22-month-long standoff

• 15th round of talks held two months after previous such talks failed
• Focus is on completion of stalled disengagement at Hot Springs
• Issue of Depsang Bulge would be taken up after that