Ladakh standoff | Eighth Corps Commander talks were candid, constructive, says India-China joint statement

Armies of both countries agree to hold another round soon.

An Army vehicle moves towards LAC in eastern Ladakh. File

At the eighth round of Corps Commander-level talks between India and China on Friday, the two sides had a “candid, in-depth and constructive exchange of views” on disengagement along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) and agreed to continue the talks, a joint statement issued on Sunday said. 

“Both sides agreed to earnestly implement the important consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries, ensure their front-line troops to exercise restraint and avoid misunderstanding and miscalculation,” the statement said.

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With no breakthrough in sight, the stand-off, now in its seventh month, is set to continue into the winter for which both sides have made preparations.

The talks began around 9.30 a.m. on the Indian side at Chushul and went on for close to 10 hours. The Indian delegation was led by Lt. Gen. P.G.K. Menon, the 14 Corps Commander. 

Both sides agreed to maintain dialogue and communication through military and diplomatic channels, and, taking forward the discussions at this meeting, push for the settlement of other outstanding issues, so as to jointly maintain peace and tranquillity in the border areas, the statement said. 

They also agreed to have another round of meeting soon, it added. Since the Indian Army occupied several dominating features which were lying vacant on the south bank of Pangong Tso in August, China has been pressing for discussing south bank first and other friction areas later. 

There was no change in the Indian stand that the entire eastern Ladakh had to be discussed together, a defence official said.