Indian, Chinese navy commanders are again on the LAC talks desk right this moment

More than two-and-a-half months after they final met, Indian and Chinese navy commanders will sit throughout the desk Sunday to attempt to make headway in talks over the state of affairs alongside the Line of Actual Control in Ladakh the place hundreds of troops have been in a faceoff since May 2020.
XIV Corps commander Lt General PGK Menon and South Xinjiang Military Region commander Major General Liu Lin are to fulfill Sunday morning on the Border Personnel Meeting (BPM) level in Moldo on the Chinese facet of the LAC close to Chushul.
Sources mentioned the assembly has been scheduled following phrase from China on a memo that India despatched. With 50,000 troops of every military deployed within the area for an indefinite interval and no dialogue on the senior stage, the 2 sides have been working the hotlines and different mechanisms to forestall any untoward incident on the bottom. India has returned two PLA troopers who strayed throughout the LAC.
A consultant of the Ministry of External Affairs may also be on the talks Sunday. MEA Joint Secretary (East Asia) Naveen Srivastava, main the Indian facet in conferences of the Working Mechanism for Consultation & Coordination on India-China Border Affairs (WMCC), has additionally been attending the navy discussions.
While the navy commanders final met on November 6, the final spherical of diplomatic talks through the WMCC happened on December 18.
For weeks after the standoff started final May, when the Chinese got here in 8 km west of the purpose that India says marks the LAC on the north financial institution of Pangong Tso, troops dug in at a number of locations in japanese Ladakh. The Chinese refused to finish the disengagement course of and each armies introduced in further forces within the depth areas, deploying tanks, artillery and air energy.
Last August, Indian troops stunned the Chinese by occupying dominating heights on the south financial institution of Pangong Tso, and within the bigger Chushul sub-sector.
Indian troops positioned themselves on Gurung Hill, Magar Hill, Mukhpari, Rechin La and Rezang La. They even have direct view of China’s Moldo Garrison, and the strategic Spanggur Gap which can be utilized to launch offensives — because the Chinese did in 1962.
Indian troops additionally readjusted their positions on the Pangong Tso north financial institution, occupying options to dominate Chinese positions on the ridgeline connecting Finger 3 and Finger 4. This scramble for heights led to warning photographs being fired by the 2 sides.
Top navy officers instructed The Indian Express that whereas there have been indications from China on transferring again troops — India has been in search of establishment ante, of troops returning to positions earlier than the standoff – there’s an enormous belief deficit.

The two sides, officers mentioned, are unable to achieve an understanding on particulars of the disengagement with China insisting that India vacate the heights within the Chushul sub-sector. India, then again, has made it clear that any decision should issue all friction factors within the area.
On January 12, at a press convention forward of Army Day, General MM Naravane mentioned: “We are hoping that based on the principle of mutual and equal security, we will be able to reach an agreement which would result in disengagement and de-escalation.”
“Disengagement from friction areas, and once this disengagement has been achieved, then overall de-escalation and reduction in the strength of the troops in the forward areas… We will ensure that through the medium of these talks, we reach a solution that is acceptable and not detrimental to our interests… we are prepared to hold our ground, where we are, as long as it takes to achieve our national goals and interests,” he mentioned.