India, China to hold Round 15 of LAC talks at Chusul on Friday

New Delhi: India and China have mutually decided to hold the 15th round of the corps commander-level talks on Friday on the Indian side of the Line of Actual Control at the Chushul Moldo meeting point to resolve all the remaining friction points between the two armies in Ladakh.

The talks are being held amid concerns over the Ukraine-Russia conflict and its fallout in the region. India and China are in a standoff in Ladakh now for around two years, which started in April-May 2020.

The 14 rounds of talks till now have resulted in a resolution of the north and south banks of Pangong Tso, Galwan and the Gogra general area. 

“Both sides will now focus to achieve resolution of the balance friction areas,” sources said. Recent statements by both sides to find a mutually acceptable solution have been encouraging and positive in nature, they added.

The latest round of talks is likely to centre around disengagement from the Hot Springs area, where around 20 soldiers from each side are in a standoff. There is an expectation that some positive outcome on the friction point may be achieved.

After the disengagement from Gogra Post in August 2021 after the 12th round of talks, it was believed that the Hot Springs issued will be resolved quickly as it had in 2020 seen a partial rollback of troops. The Chinese, however, continued to drag their feet on further disengagement from the area.

The 13th corps commanders’ meeting in October had led to a complete breakdown in the talks. The 14th round was held at Chushul-Moldo in January 2022. 

China is continuing to upgrade its infrastructure all along the LAC at a fast pace.