India and China held diplomatic talks on Thursday to review the situation in border areas following the recent disengagement of their armies from Depsang and Demchok in eastern Ladakh. This development comes a month after the completion of the disengagement process.
The discussions took place during the 32nd meeting of the Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination on India-China Border Affairs (WMCC). The Indian delegation was led by Gourangalal Das, Joint Secretary, East Asia, while the Chinese delegation was headed by Hong Liang, Director General of the Boundary and Oceanic Affairs Department of the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
In a statement, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) noted that both sides “positively affirmed the implementation of the most recent disengagement agreement,” which resolved issues that had arisen since 2020. The two delegations also laid the groundwork for the next meeting of the Special Representatives, to be convened as per the decision of the two leaders during their discussions in Kazan on October 23, 2024.
The statement highlighted that both sides reviewed the situation in the border areas and reflected on the lessons learned from the 2020 standoff to prevent a recurrence of similar events. The importance of maintaining regular diplomatic and military exchanges through established mechanisms was emphasized.
Additionally, the two delegations agreed on the need for effective border management and the maintenance of peace and tranquillity in line with bilateral agreements, protocols, and mutual understandings. During the visit, the leader of the Chinese delegation also met with India’s Foreign Secretary.
Team BharatShakti
