After completing the disengagement process from both north and south banks of Pangong Lake, India and China are set to hold the 10th round of Corps Commander level talks on Saturday on the Chinese side of the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Moldo, Army sources had said.
#BREAKING| #Disengagement has been fully completed along the Southern and Northern bank of Pangong lake. Post-disengagement, Indian troops have moved to their depth locations: #IndianArmy sources to ANI pic.twitter.com/MS2GInTK54
— NewsMobile (@NewsMobileIndia) February 19, 2021
The talks come close on the heels of China releasing the video of Galwan Valley clash and admitting for the first time that they had suffered casualties in the face-off. India had lost 20 brave soldiers led by Col Santosh Babu in the clashes on the intervening night of June 14-15 in the skirmish.
After living in denial all these months, #China finally admits casualties in #Galwan clashes. 20 brave soldiers of @adgpi made the supreme sacrifice while trying to defend our territorial integrity. See what happened in #GalwanValley in this video released by #PLA. pic.twitter.com/snwuqYnG08
— Sourav Sanyal (@SSanyal) February 19, 2021
Sources to ANI revealed that the two sides will discuss disengagement from other friction points after disengagement from both Northern and Southern banks of Pangong Lake. The disengagement of troops of the Indian Army and China’s People’s Liberation Army from the Line of Actual Control was reached after sustained negotiations at the military and diplomatic level, said the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) last week.
— NewsMobile (@NewsMobileIndia) February 20, 2021
“This agreement was reached after several rounds of sustained negotiations at the military and diplomatic level,” Anurag Srivastava, MEA Spokesperson said in a press briefing, further adding that the next steps post disengagement has been “clearly spelt out” by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh during his speech in the Parliament.
“India’s strategy and approach during disengagement talks with China are based on directions of Prime Minister Narendra Modi that we will not allow an inch of our territory to be taken by anyone. It is a result of our firm resolve that we have reached the situation of an agreement,” Defence Minister said during a session in Parliament.
Furthermore, the MEA spokesperson had informed further that no date has been set for the Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination on India-China Border Affairs.
The two countries have had a stand-off along the LAC since April-May last year due to actions of the Chinese army and have held several rounds of military and diplomatic talks.