SOURCE: ET
India and China are pushing for settlement of “other outstanding issues” apart from disengagement in eastern Ladakh, raising hopes that any deal that may be worked out may include other “problem areas” on the Line of Actutal Control (LAC).
Briefing journalists, MEA spokesperson Anurag Srivastava said Indian and Chinese military commanders and officials would meet again “soon”. “India and China have agreed to maintain dialogue and communication through military and diplomatic channels, and, taking forward the discussions at the meeting of the Senior Commanders, to push for the settlement of other outstanding issues.”
There have been reports that India and China are considering disengagement proposals in eastern Ladakh where the two armies have been in a stand-off situation since May.
Srivastava described the latest round of talks between the senior military commanders on November 6 as “candid, in-depth and constructive”. Both sides, he said, “exchanged views on disengagement at all friction points along the Line of Actual Control in the western sector of India-China border areas”.
This could include not only the northern and southern banks of the Pangong Tso but could also the outstanding issue on the Depsang plains, where Indian patrols have been stopped by the Chinese side.
On August 29-30, Indian troops occupied key strategic heights on the Kailash range on the southern bank of the Pangong Tso, effectively checkmating the Chinese ingress.
