India-China Standoff: ‘Complete Disengagement,’ India Tells China Again After Over 15 Hours Of Marathon Talks

India-China Talks: The meeting between India and China over Ladakh standoff along the Line of Actual Control, which was the ninth time both parties were holding dialogue, lasted for over 15 hours, starting at 11 am on Sunday and continued till 2:30 am Monday. In the meeting was going on at Moldo opposite Chushul in Eastern Ladakh sector, India has reportedly put forth its demand of complete disengagement stressing that the onus for it lies on the People’s Liberation Army.

What happened in the meeting:

Reports state that India has proposed several verification measures at certain flashpoints along the LAC.

People familiar with the negotiations said India insisted that the onus is on China to carry forward the process of disengagement and de-escalation at the friction points in the region.

India has been maintaining that the disengagement process has to start simultaneously at all the friction points and no selective approach was acceptable to it.

9^th round of talks after 2.5 months:

The talks took place after a gap of two-and-a-half months. The talks focused on ways to move forward on the long-negotiated disengagement process in eastern Ladakh as thousands of their troops remained deployed at friction points under freezing conditions.

The eighth and last round of the talks had taken place on November 6 during which both sides broadly discussed disengagement of troops from specific friction points.

India-China tensions:

Close to 100,000 Indian and Chinese troops are deployed in eastern Ladakh as both sides have been holding on to their ground and showing readiness for a long-haul, amid continuing diplomatic and military talks to find an amicable solution. Several talks have taken place between the two militaries ever since the situation worsened following Galwan Valley clash.

Reflecting India’s firm approach in handling the situation, Army chief Gen MM Naravane nearly two weeks back said that Indian troops will hold their ground as long as it takes to achieve the “national goals and objectives” even as he hoped for an amicable resolution of the row through talks.