India, China hold ‘constructive’ talks, no breakthrough yet
New Delhi: India and China engaged in “constructive” and “forward-looking” diplomatic discussions on Wednesday in an effort to resolve the ongoing border standoff along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh. The talks, held in Delhi under the framework of the Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination on India-China Border Affairs (WMCC), came days after External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar held a bilateral meeting with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi in Vientiane, the capital of Lao PDR.
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) emphasised that the restoration of peace and tranquillity, along with respect for the LAC, are essential for normalising bilateral relations between the two nations. While the discussions were described as in-depth, constructive and forward-looking, there was no clear indication of a breakthrough in resolving the standoff.
The Chinese delegation was led by Hong Liang, Director General of the Boundary and Oceanic Department of the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, while Joint Secretary Gourangalal Das headed the Indian team. This meeting marks the 30th round of WMCC talks, with the previous session held in Beijing in March.
The talks follow recent meetings between External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi in Vientiane and Astana. During these encounters, both ministers agreed on the need for urgent action to achieve complete disengagement in the remaining friction points along the LAC.
The MEA statement highlighted that both sides agreed to maintain momentum through established diplomatic and military channels. They also stressed the importance of jointly upholding peace and tranquillity on the ground in accordance with existing bilateral agreements and protocols.
The border standoff between India and China began in May 2020 and has significantly strained relations between the two countries. A violent clash in the Galwan Valley in June 2020 marked a low point in bilateral ties, resulting in casualties on both sides. Since then, India has consistently maintained that normal relations with China are contingent upon peace in the border areas.
While some progress has been made in disengaging troops from certain friction points, areas like Depsang and Demchok remain contentious. The two sides have held 21 rounds of Corps Commander-level talks to address the situation, with the last high-level military dialogue taking place in February.
