New Delhi: India and China held the 32nd meeting of the Working Mechanism for Consultation & Coordination on Border Affairs (WMCC) today in New Delhi, during which the two sides positively affirmed the implementation of the October 21 disengagement agreement which completed the resolution of the issues that emerged following the Galwan incident in 2020.
The Indian delegation was led by Gourangalal Das, Joint Secretary (East Asia), and the Chinese delegation was led by Hong Liang, Director General of the Boundary & Oceanic Affairs Department of the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, a statement said.
During the talks, the two sides also prepared for the next meeting of the Special Representatives, which is to be held in accordance with the decision of the two leaders – PM Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping — in their meeting in Kazan on 23 October 2024.
Both sides reviewed the situation in border areas, and reflected on the lessons learnt from the events of 2020 in order to prevent their recurrence.
In this context, they highlighted the importance of regular exchanges and contacts at diplomatic and military level through established mechanisms. They agreed on the need for effective border management and maintenance of peace & tranquility in accordance with relevant bilateral agreements, protocols and understandings reached between the two Governments.
The leader of the Chinese delegation also called on Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri during the visit.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has told the Parliament that following the October 21 agreement with China, “disengagement has now been achieved in full in Eastern Ladakh through a step by step process, culminating in Depsang and Demchok”.
He said the next priority is to consider de-escalation, which will address the massing of troops along the LAC.
EAM said that the Modi government has been and remains “very clear that the three key principles must be observed under all circumstances: (i) both sides should strictly respect and observe the LAC, (ii) neither side should attempt to unilaterally alter the status quo, and (iii) agreements and understandings reached in the past must be fully abided by in their entirety.”
On the government’s expectation regarding the direction of ties with China in the near future, he said: ”Our relationship had progressed in many domains, but was obviously negatively affected by recent events. We are clear that the maintenance of peace and tranquility in border areas is a pre-requisite for the development of our ties.
“In the coming days, we will be discussing both de-escalation as well as effective management of our activities in the border areas.”
He said the conclusion of the disengagement phase allows India to consider other aspects of the bilateral engagement in a calibrated manner, keeping national security interests first and foremost.
UNI
