Amid polite noise, India-China militaries to talk Friday

The 15th round of senior military commander-level talks between India and China to resolve the border impasse will take place on Friday amid global churning in the backdrop of the Russia-Ukraine conflict, reports senior journalist Sanjib Kr Baruah.

New Delhi:Sources in the Indian defence establishment on Tuesday said that the 15th round of senior military commander-level talks between India and China to resolve the ongoing impasse at certain points on the Line of Actual Control (LAC) across eastern Ladakh would take place on Friday.

What stood out was the polite tone and tenor of the informal communiqué. It said: “Recent statements by both sides to find a mutually acceptable solution have been encouraging and positive in nature.”

Stating that the previous 14 rounds of talks have “resulted in resolution of North & South bank of the Pangong Tso, Galwan and Gogra Hot Springs areas,” it said that the two sides will now focus on resolution of balance friction areas without mentioning PP-15, Depsang and Demchok.

While Depsang and Demchok are legacy issues, in 2020, the PLA had ‘ingressed’ about 2-4 km down the Kugrang river valley effectively blocking off Indian patrolling to PP 15 and PP 16. The Chinese ‘ingress’ has resulted in blocking off Indian access to about 130 sq km of the valley.

As a result, troops of the two sides continue to face each other in a confrontationist mode at PP 15 which is located in the general area of Cheng Chenmo valley also called Tsog Tsalu area. The disputed Hot Springs and Gogra are also located in the same stretch.

While Indian and Chinese soldiers may be looking at each other through the gun sights of their rifles at the oxygen-depleted extreme heights and freezing cold faceoff points along with many points on the LAC in eastern Ladakh, on the global stage there have been some common grounds of late.

The outbreak of a sudden war between Russia and Ukraine on February 24, followed by worldwide outright condemnation of the Russian action by the US-led NATO and the European Union, leading to emergency deliberations in the United Nations platform—has provided that common ground.

While member nations have overwhelmingly taken an anti-Russia and pro-Ukraine stand, just a clutch of countries—that includes India and China—have taken positions that do not categorically condemn the Russian action.

Both China and India have offered all help to resolve the issues between Russia and Ukraine.

At the talks in the 4,360 metres altitude Chushul, the Indian delegation—to be led by the Leh-based 14 ‘Fire and Fury’ Corps commander Lieutenant General Anindya Sengupta—will include a joint secretary from the foreign ministry, a Brigadier-ranked officer from the DGMO, and local military representatives including the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP).

The Chinese delegation will be led by Major General Yang Lin, the commander of the South Xinjian Military District.

The 14th round of talks between the two sides had taken place in Moldo, on the Chinese side of the LAC across Chushul, on January 12, 2022.