New Delhi: India and China concurred on Wednesday to maintain peace and tranquillity along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) amidst another series of diplomatic discussions, although no progress was evident towards disengagement at contentious points in the Ladakh region.
The Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination (WMCC) on India-China border affairs convened in New Delhi for the 16th instance since the LAC standoff began in May 2020. The last session occurred in Beijing on March 28, and the recent talks succeeded two encounters between External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi earlier this month.
Post-talks, the External Affairs Ministry announced both parties’ commitment to “jointly maintain peace and tranquillity on the ground in the border areas in line with the pertinent bilateral agreements, protocols, and mutual understandings between the two nations.”
Building on the dialogue between the foreign ministers at their latest meetings in Astana and Vientiane, both sides examined the ongoing situation on the LAC with the aim of “seeking an expedited resolution to the pending issues.”
Highlighting India’s declared stance that normalizing overall relations with China hinges on resolving the border dispute, the ministry’s statement further noted: “The re-establishment of peace and tranquillity, as well as adherence to the LAC, is crucial for returning to normalcy in bilateral ties.”
The talks were characterized as “thorough, constructive, and progressive,” though specifics were not disclosed. The parties also consented to sustain engagement through the existing diplomatic and military channels.
This meeting marked the WMCC’s 30th since its inception in 2012. The Indian delegation was headed by Joint Secretary (East Asia) Gourangalal Das from the External Affairs Ministry, and the Chinese delegation was led by Hong Liang, the Director-General of the Boundary and Oceanic Department of China’s Foreign Ministry.
