Media reports India, China making advancement on border discussions
Date
9/29/2024 12:56:37 AM
(MENAFN) India and China have reportedly achieved "significant progress" in their ongoing talks aimed at resolving long-standing border disputes in eastern Ladakh, according to a report by the Indian Express. This development is particularly noteworthy given the heightened military tensions that have characterized the region since a violent clash between the two nations in 2020, which resulted in casualties on both sides.
The relationship between these two major Asian powers deteriorated sharply following the 2020 standoff, prompting more than 30 rounds of high-level diplomatic and military discussions over the past few years. Recent talks, particularly the 31st Working Mechanism for Consultation & Coordination on India-China Border Affairs (WMCC) held in Beijing on August 29, have reportedly led to new avenues for resolution.
Sources indicate that Indian troops may soon regain access to specific patrol points along the contested border, which had been blocked by Chinese forces. Additionally, there are discussions around the possibility of re-establishing buffer zones that were part of earlier disengagement efforts. Both countries are exploring solutions that reflect their positions prior to April 2020 along the Line of Actual Control (LAC), a 3,500-kilometer (approximately 2,100-mile) border that is poorly defined and has been a source of contention for decades.
The discussions also encompass issues related to Arunachal Pradesh, a region in the eastern sector that remains disputed. Tensions flared earlier this year when Chinese authorities expressed strong disapproval of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Arunachal Pradesh, during which he inaugurated a tunnel aimed at facilitating quicker military deployments to the area. In response, India reacted firmly to China's attempts to rename several locations within Arunachal Pradesh, reaffirming its claim that the state is an "integral and inalienable part" of India.
As both nations work toward a diplomatic resolution, the evolving dialogue represents a crucial step in de-escalating tensions and fostering stability in a region that has seen heightened military activity and nationalistic fervor in recent years.
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