NEW DELHI: India hosted a Chinese diplomatic delegation on Thursday for another round of border talks in which both sides “positively” affirmed the implementation of the Oct 21 disengagement agreement that brought to an end the 54-month eastern Ladakh military standoff.
According to the Indian side, the two countries reviewed the situation in border areas, and reflected on the lessons learnt from the events of 2020, which included the deadly Galwan clashes, in order to prevent their recurrence.
Confirming that the disengagement process has been completed in eastern Ladakh, foreign minister S Jaishankar had said in Parliament this week that India will now focus on de-escalation and on effective management of border activities.
He had also said that ties with China, which went into a tailspin after the 2020 Galwan military clashes, are now improving.
In the latest round of the Working Mechanism for Consultation & Coordination on India-China Border Affairs (WMCC) talks on Thursday, both sides “positively affirmed the implementation of the most recent disengagement agreement which completed the resolution of the issues that emerged in 2020, said the Indian govt.
“They also prepared for the next meeting of the special representatives, which is to be held in accordance with the decision of the two leaders in their meeting in Kazan on Oct 23, 2024,” added the Indian readout.
The disengagement agreement in the remaining areas, Depsang and Demchok, in October had paved the way for a bilateral meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Xi Jinping on the margins of the BRICS summit in Kazan in which the leaders endorsed the agreement and agreed to resume exchanges between the special representatives on the boundary question and the foreign ministers.
During the talks, both sides highlighted the importance of regular exchanges and contacts at diplomatic and military level through established mechanisms.
“They agreed on the need for effective border management and maintenance of peace & tranquillity in accordance with relevant bilateral agreements, protocols and understandings reached between the two governments,” said the Indian govt, adding that the Chinese delegation also called on foreign secretary Vikram Misri.