India and China on Sunday held a fresh round of high level military talks aimed at resolving remaining issues in eastern Ladakh as the border row enters its fourth year, people familiar with the matter said.
The 18th round of military talks came ahead of Chinese Defense Minister Li Shangfu’s visit to India next week to attend a key Shanghai Cooperation Organization meeting hosted by New Delhi under its chairmanship of the grouping.
The talks took place at the Chushul-Moldo border meeting point on the Chinese side of the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh, people familiar with the development said. Indian side insisted on resolving the issues at the remaining flashpoints of Demchok and Depsang in eastern Ladakh as soon as possible.
India and China high level military talks
The Indian delegation to the dialogue was led by Lt Gen Rashim Bali, commander of 14 Corps in Leh, which handles security along the LAC in the Ladakh sector. Decision taken in 16th round of military talks, the two sides withdrew from checkpoint 15 in the Gogra Hotsprings area in September last year.
Solving issues over ladakh border
Corps Commander level talks have been initiated to resolve the standoff in eastern Ladakh. India says its relations with China cannot be normal unless there is peace in the border areas. Eastern border of Ladakh erupted on 5 May 2020 following a violent clash in the Pangong Lake area.
Ties between the two countries have deteriorated significantly following a violent clash in the Galwan Valley in June 2020, which marked the most serious military conflict between the two sides in decades. As a result of a series of military and diplomatic negotiations, the two sides completed the withdrawal process on the northern and southern shores of Pangong Lake and the Gogra area.
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