LAC standoff: 7th Corps Commander level talks between India and China ends after 11 hours

The 7th Corps Commander level meeting between India and China to address the situation at Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Eastern Ladakh ended at around 11:30 PM on Monday (October 12) after around 11 hours.

Before the meeting, it was said that India will press for early and complete disengagement of troops by China from all friction points in eastern Ladakh during the talks at Chushul.

The China Study Group (CSG), comprising Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, Chief of Defence Staff Gen Bipin Rawat and three service chiefs, had finalised India’s strategy for the military talks on Friday.

The CSG is India’s key policy-making body on China. It is to be noted that India is strongly against China’s demand for the withdrawal of Indian troops from several strategic heights on the southern bank of the Pangong lake to kick-start the disengagement process.

Meanwhile, Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said on Monday at China is creating a dispute at the LAC as if it was part of a “mission”. Singh, however, asserted that Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government at the Centre is committed face the situations along the frontiers resolutely.

“You are well aware of the conditions created along our northern and eastern borders. First, it was Pakistan, and now also by China, as if a border dispute is being created under a mission. We have a border of about 7,000 km with these countries where the tension continues,” he noted.

Rajnath Singh made the statements after inaugurating 44 bridges built in strategically key areas of Ladakh, Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab and Jammu and Kashmir. Majority of these bridges are expected to significantly improve movement of troops in areas along the border with China in Ladakh, Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh sectors.