India, China to hold sixth Corps Commander talks to address border tensions

NEW DELHI: India and China are scheduled to hold their sixth Corps Commander-level talks tomorrow at the Chinese side of the Chushul/Moldo meeting point in the Eastern Ladakh sector to address the ongoing military standoff there, sources informed on Sunday.

The Corps Commanders of the two sides would be meeting after more than a month as both sides had been engaged in at least three firing incidents which have taken place more than 45 years along the Line of Actual Control (LAC).

The corps commanders would be meeting at the Moldo meeting hut opposite Chushul on the Indian side. This time, a Joint Secretary of the External Affairs Ministry would also be present in the discussions, sources said.

The agenda and issues to be raised by the Indian side in the meeting were discussed and finalised during a high-level meeting attended by National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval, Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Bipin Rawat and Army Chief General Manoj Mukund Naravane last week on Friday.

India is likely to press for simultaneous disengagement and de-escalation by the Chinese side in the Eastern Ladakh sector during the meeting of two Corps Commanders.

The ground commanders had been talking to each other on an almost daily basis on the ground.

The talks are happening at a time when the Indian side has also occupied six major hill features which are helping the Indian Army to be in dominating positions on heights.