Even though disengagement from Galwan Valley, Pangong Tso, Gogra & Hot Springs, India and China continue to maintain thousands of troops, equipment along LAC.was done years before yet the burning point of Depsang valleys about 1000 sq km area in Chinese hands since April 2020 still continues even after 20th round of India-China talks which have failed making no headway. India's military, economic and social relations are suspended since April 2020 and over a lakh troops facing 4th winter at high altitude where temperature run to minus 45 degree in deep winter.
The 20th round of India-China Corps Commander Level Meeting was held at Chushul-Moldo border meeting point on the Indian side on 9-10 October 2023,” read a statement released by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), Wednesday. Sources in the defence and security establishment said this meant that soldiers on both sides will continue to remain deployed in forward areas along the LAC for the fourth straight winter.
“The two sides exchanged views in a frank, open and constructive manner for an early and mutually acceptable resolution of the remaining issues along the LAC in the Western Sector, in accordance with the guidance provided by the national leadership of the two countries, and building on the progress made in the last round of Corps Commanders’ Meeting held on 13-14 August 2023,” said the MEA.
It added that both sides agreed to maintain the “momentum of dialogue and negotiations through the relevant military and diplomatic mechanisms”. “They also committed to maintain peace and tranquillity on the ground in the border areas in the interim,” the short statement added. The Indian delegation was led by Lt Gen Rashim Bali, commander of the Leh-based 14 Corps, while the Chinese delegation was to be led by the commander of the South Xinjiang military district.
India has been seeking restoration of status quo as of April 2020 in areas which saw tensions beginning May 2020, besides resolution of earlier disagreements including those over Depsang Plains. However China is admant to retain Depsang and does mellow down to vacate this forcible occupation of forcible occupation in April 2020. As a result neither the troops along LAC will be wthdrawn nor the relations between the two countries will normalize.
