Border dispute: India, China 14th round military talks likely next week

New Delhi, Jan. 7 (IANS): India and China military delegates are likely to hold talks on January 12 to deliberate over ways to de-escalate the border dispute between the two nations.

It would be the 14th round of India and China Corps Commander level military talks focusing on disengagement in the remaining friction areas like Depsang, Hot Springs and others.

The talks are happening when China has implemented new border laws from January 1 and has also started construction of a bridge on Pangong Lake in Eastern Ladakh to which India has objected.

On Thursday, India had strongly objected to China’s illegal construction of a bridge on a part of the Pangong Lake and had stated that the government is monitoring the situation.

Talking about reports about a bridge being made by the Chinese side on Pangong lake, the Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Arindam Bagchi had said, “Government has been monitoring this activity closely. This bridge is being constructed in areas that have been under illegal occupation by China for around 60 years now. As you are well aware India has never accepted such illegal occupation.”

The official pointed out that separately, the government has been taking all necessary steps to ensure that our security interests are fully protected.

As part of these efforts the government has also, in the last seven years, increased significantly the budget for the development of border infrastructure and completed more roads and bridges than ever before.

“These have provided much needed connectivity to local population as well as logistical support to armed forces. government remains committed to this objective,” the official had said.

China has been carrying out construction of a bridge connecting the north and south banks of the Pangong Lake for at least two months and is taking place at India’s claim of the Line of Actual Control.

The bridge to connect the north and south banks of the Pangong Lake will allow the Chinese People’s Liberation Army quick access to both sides.

India had occupied key heights on the Kailash range on the southern bank in August 2020 giving its troops a strategic advantage as they overlooked the Chinese Moldo garrison.

However, with the disengagement in Pangong in February last year India pulled back from the heights as part of a mutual pullback plan to ease tensions.

In addition to this, China has implemented its new border law on January 1 that calls for strengthening its border defence, development of villages and infrastructure near the borders.

Just ahead of the implementation of the law, China renamed 15 places in Arunachal Pradesh on its map.

India and China have been engaged in a border dispute for around two years and are now in talks to resolve the issues.