In diplomatic talks, India, China agree to maintain peace along LAC

In their first diplomatic talks under a key dialogue mechanism since withdrawing troops from two face-off points, India and China on Thursday reflected on the lessons learnt from the eastern Ladakh border row in order to prevent such face-offs in future.

At the meeting of the Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination (WMCC) on India-China border affairs in New Delhi, the two sides agreed to maintain peace and tranquillity in border areas in line with bilateral pacts and protocols.

The two sides also prepared for the next meeting of the Special Representatives on the boundary question.

"The two sides positively affirmed the implementation of the most recent disengagement agreement which completed the resolution of the issues that emerged in 2020," the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said.

The eastern Ladakh military standoff between India and China began in May 2020 and a deadly clash at the Galwan Valley in June that year resulted in a severe strain in ties between the two neighbours.

The face-off effectively ended following completion of the disengagement process from the last two friction points of Demchok and Depsang under an agreement finalised on October 21.

Two days after the pact was firmed up, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping held talks on the sidelines of the Brics Summit in the Russian city of Kazan.

In the meeting, the two sides agreed to revive several dialogue mechanisms including the Special Representatives dialogue on boundary questions.

India's Special Representative for the dialogue is NSA Ajit Doval while the Chinese side is headed at the talks by Foreign Minister Wang Yi.

"They also prepared for the next meeting of the Special Representatives, which is to be held in accordance with the decision of the two leaders in their meeting in Kazan on October 23," the MEA said on the WMCC talks.