India-China border talks yield no breakthrough amidst stalemate, stress on ‘complete disengagement’

THE 29th session of the Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination on India-China Border Affairs took place, during which both parties engaged in thorough discussions regarding achieving “complete disengagement" and addressing outstanding issues along the Line of Actual Control (LAC), as stated by the Ministry of External Affairs on Thursday.

The statement further stated that the key meeting was held in Beijing on March 27.

“The two sides had an in-depth exchange of views on how to achieve complete disengagement and resolve the remaining issues along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in the Western Sector of India-China border areas," the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said.

The statement informed that the Joint Secretary (East Asia) from the MEA led the Indian delegation. “The Chinese delegation was led by the Director General of the Boundary and Oceanic Department of the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs," the statement said.

“In the interim, both sides agreed to maintain regular contact through diplomatic and military channels and on the need to uphold peace and tranquility on the ground in the border areas by existing bilateral agreements and protocols," it said.

The 28th meeting of the Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination on India-China Border Affairs was held on November 30 last year.

Earlier on Wednesday, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said that restoring normalcy in bilateral relations with China hinges on the conventional deployment of troops, which will serve as a necessary condition for shaping the future relationship with Beijing.

“My first duty to Indians is to secure the border. I can never compromise on that," Jaishankar said while responding to a question on the current state of India's relations with China during his interaction with the Indian diaspora here in the Malaysian capital, as reported by PTI.