India, China hold 9th round of military-level talks today: What to expect?

HIGHLIGHTS

• The ninth round of Corps Commander-level talks between India and China took place on Sunday with a focus on mutually acceptable timeline to disengage from friction points along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh.

• The military-level talks are being held at the Moldo border point on the Chinese side of the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh. Like the previous few meetings, a representative from the Ministry of External Affairs was part of the latest military talks.

• The eighth and last round of military talks took place on November 6 at Chushul during which both sides broadly discussed disengagement of troops from specific friction points. “Both sides agreed to earnestly implement the important consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries, ensure their frontline troops exercise restraint and avoid misunderstanding and miscalculation,” said a joint statement issued after the eight round of talks.

• India and China standoff has now entered its ninth month as both sides continue with heavy deployment of troops, artillery guns, tanks and armoured vehicles in close proximity.

9th round of India-China military talks: What to expect

The ongoing military-talks are aimed at first easing tension on the northern bank of Pangong Lake which is where the flare up first happened in May last year sparking violent clashes.

“The focus will be build on the consensus reached a step by step de-escalation. First the north bank, followed by south bank and then Depsang and other areas,” an official said.

As per earlier proposals, the ‘Finger’ area on the northern bank of the Pangong Lake could turn into a temporary no man’s land with Indian or Chinese troops not carrying out patrols as a measure to ease tensions and find a breakthrough the deadlock.

For a phased de-escalation, the contentious conflict zone between Finger 4 to Finger 8 could become a no patrolling zone for sometime, as per the proposal.

If this resulted in de-induction of troops as weapons and a pull back to positions as of April 2020 in the next phase India would also vacate heights occupied on the Kailash range on the southern side of the lake.

In the third phase areas like Depsang plains where that had already been tense with induction of troops and weapon systems for the last 5-6 years could be focused upon for a complete de-escalation, sources said.

The Indian Army in a counter operation has occupied unmanned heights that gave it a strategic advantage as the positions overlook China’s military garrison in Moldo and other key military positions.

If a mutual pullback as proposed both by India and China from their current positions takes place at the northern bank of the lake, it would mean the Chinese would return beyond Finger 8 which India claims to to be the Line of Actual Control (LAC).

The Chinese came in about 8 km-the distance between Finger 8 and 4 seting up bunkers and fortifications in what was seen as a clear violation of status quo by India.

Both sides would patrol the area between Finger 4 and Finger 8 that often led to faceoffs and skirmishes.

Mountain spurs jutting out into the lake at more than 14,000 feet are referred to as fingers.

The north bank of the lake is divided into 8 fingers that are contested by both sides. India claims Line of Actual Control at Finger 8 and had been holding on to area till Finger 4 but in a clear alteration of status quo the Chinese have been camping at Finger 4 and have set up fortifications between Finger 5 and 8.

What happened so far

India has all along been maintaining that the onus is on China to carry forward the process of disengagement and de-escalation at the friction points in the mountainous region.

On Saturday, Indian Air Force (IAF) chief RKS Bhadauria, while speaking about China opting for an aggressive stance in eastern Ladakh, said: “If they [China] can be aggressive, we can also be aggressive.”

On January 12, Army chief Gen MM Naravane had said that Indian troops will hold their ground as long as it takes to achieve the “national goals and objectives” even as he hoped for an amicable resolution of the prolonged standoff through talks. The standoff erupted on May 5 last.

Nearly 50,000 troops of the Indian Army are deployed in a high state of combat readiness in various mountainous locations in eastern Ladakh in sub-zero temperatures as multiple rounds of talks between the two sides have not yielded concrete outcome to resolve the standoff. China has also deployed an equal number of troops, according to officials.

Last month, India and China held another round of diplomatic talks under the framework of the Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination (WMCC) on India-China border affairs. However, no concrete outcome emerged from the talks.