India, China agree to maintain LAC stability

INdian and Chinese military machine commanders feature in agreement(p) to habituate existing mechanisms to solve any ground issues along the border to maintain stability, even as the two sides continue the process of addressing the long-standing boundary dispute and normalising ties after a prolonged face-off on the Line of Actual Control (LAC).Corps commanders of India and China met for their 23rd round of talks at the Chushul-Moldo border meeting point on October 25, according to a readout issued by the external affairs ministry on Wednesday. This was the first meeting between the commanders since the two sides reached an understanding in October 2024 to end the standoff in Ladakh sector of the LAC.“Both sides agreed to continue to use existing mechanisms to resolve any ground issues along the border to maintain stability,” the readout said.This was also the first meeting of the mechanism involving army generals in the Western Sector since the 24th round of talks on August 19 between the Special Representatives on the border issue, National Security Adviser Ajit Doval and Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi.The talks, which the readout said were held in a friendly and cordial atmosphere, reviewed the progress since the 22nd round of talks between the corps commanders in October 2024. Both sides “shared the view that peace and tranquillity has been maintained in the India-China border areas”, the readout noted.A statement issued by China’s defence ministry in Beijing said the two sides engaged in “active and in-depth communication on the management of the western section” of the India-China border.The two sides “agreed to continue communication and dialogue through military and diplomatic channels under the guidance of the important consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries, and jointly safeguard peace and tranquillity” in the border areas.India and China reached an understanding on October 21, 2024, on the disengagement of frontline forces at the “friction points” of Demchok and Depsang, thus ending the military face-off in Ladakh sector of the LAC that had begun in April-May 2020. The standoff, and a brutal clash in Galwan Valley that killed 20 Indian soldiers and at least four Chinese troops, took bilateral ties to their lowest point in six decades.Two days after the understanding, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Xi Jinping met in the Russian city of Kazan and agreed to revive several mechanisms, such as talks between the Special Representatives, to address the border issue and normalise relations.Since then, the two sides have revived the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra and resumed direct flights after a gap of five years. Despite the disengagement, both sides have continued to deploy tens of thousands of troops each in the Ladakh sector and there have been no signs of forward movement on de-escalation and withdrawal of these forces.