India and China have agreed to continue using existing diplomatic and military mechanisms to resolve ground issues. along the Line of Actual Control (LAC), after the 23rd round of Corps Commander-level talks held last week at the Chushul-Moldo border meeting point.
The meeting, held on October 25, was the first high-level engagement in the Western Sector since the Special Representatives’ talks on August 19 — and comes at a time when both sides have been seeking to consolidate relative calm on the ground after three years of heightened deployment.
In a statement, the Ministry of External Affairs said the discussions were held in a friendly and cordial atmosphere and that both sides “shared the view that peace and tranquility has been maintained” in the border areas.
While the thousands of Indian troops deployed in eastern Ladakh continued to maintain high vigilance, both sides have been working on reducing the trust deficit with Chinese troops on the ground by implementing additional confidence-building measures, which include greater reliance on the technical surveillance infrastructure that has been put in place over the last five years.
Following the agreement between the two sides in October last year, both sides have been carrying out coordinated patrols to avoid clashes between the troops on the ground.
India has established a comprehensive surveillance network to extensively monitor the LAC and surrounding areas round the clock. This is being further upgraded and strengthened, with the long-term aim of reducing additional patrolling effort, The Indian Express reported last month.
Discussions in the diplomatic and military levels have been underway to prioritise existing border areas that can be taken up first for the resolution of issues.
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Even after the disengagement along the LAC in eastern Ladakh, a full de-escalation is yet to take place. An estimated 50,000-60,000 troops are still stationed on either side of the LAC in the region
