Border Roads Organization workers rest near Pangong Lake in Ladakh region, India.
India and China army commanders met on Saturday to hold discussions on the current stand-off along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) and decided that talks between the two countries will continue further through military and diplomatic channels, an Indian Army spokesperson said. The meeting which was scheduled to begin at 9 am started off a bit late and is currently taking place in Moldo on the Chinese side opposite Chushul.
As discussions between the two nations take place, India wants its neighbour to return to the status quo and remove its troops, structures, tents from the Pangong Lake. The discussions are expected to continue further through both diplomatic and military levels.
Today's discussions are held between the Indian Army commander of Leh-based 14 Corp Lieutenant General Harinder Singh and the Chinese Major General Liu Lin, Commander of South Xinjiang Military Region.
Both countries are engaging in dialogue to resolve the stand-off in Eastern Ladakh region, particularly at north bank of Pangong Tso where the Chinese People's Liberation Army has attempted to change status quo.
Before this, talks between major general-rank officers between two countries took place on June 2 that remained "inconclusive".
What are 'fingers' at Pangong Lake
The Chinese troops in large numbers have been camping at Finger 4 area of the Pangong Lake. India also matched these numbers in deployment there. The Pangong Lake is divided into 8 fingers. The mountainous spurs jutting out into the lake are referred to as fingers. So far India has been controlling fingers 1 to 4 and China controls the area between 5 and 8.
There is an Indian post near Finger 4. However, India claims the entire stretch till Finger 8. The area between Finger 4 and 8 has been a matter of dispute and has often witnessed confrontations.
Clash took place on May 5
The clash took place at Pangong Lake on May 5, leaving several from both sides wounded.
Sources further pointed out that the standoff was not a spontaneous reaction to India's road construction in Ladakh. Unusual activities were first noticed in few weeks before that clash.
The current standoff in Ladakh is not the usual patrolling faceoff but part of the new combative strategy that was rolled out by China after Doklam.
In 2017, there was a 73-day stand-off between India and China. The standoff was at the India-China-Bhutan tri-junction Doklam. China's road construction in Bhutanese territory was seen as an attempt to change the status quo by India and finally the road work had to be stopped.
(With inputs from IANS)
ALSO READ | India imposes anti-dumping duty on Malaysian calculators for 5 years
ALSO READ | India-China to continue to engage through military, diplomatic channels to resolve Ladakh stand-off
