Johannesburg - In anticipation of the upcoming meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping, scheduled to take place in South Africa during the BRICS Summit from August 22-24 in Johannesburg, significant talks at the Major General level are underway between the Indian and Chinese armies. These discussions are being conducted at two locations: Daulat Beg Oldie and Chushul, aimed at resolving the ongoing standoff in Eastern Ladakh.
It's noteworthy that South African President Matamela Cyril Ramaphosa has extended an invitation to Prime Minister Modi to visit Johannesburg, South Africa, from August 22-24 to participate in the 15th BRICS Summit.
It's pertinent to remember that despite the completion of four rounds of disengagement between the Indian and Chinese forces in Galwan Valley, Pangong Tso, Gogra (PP-17A), and Hot Springs (PP-15), both sides continue to maintain over 50,000 troops in the Ladakh region. Notably, there have been no significant breakthroughs in the 19 rounds of talks held between India and China.
The ongoing Major General-level talks are a continuation of the 19th round of Corps Commander-level discussions that took place between the two nations on August 13-14 at the Chushul Moldo border meeting point. At the two current locations, the Indian representation includes Trishul Division Commander Major General PK Mishra and Uniform Force Commander Major General Hariharan.
A key point of contention revolves around the resumption of patrolling in the Depsang plains and the issue of Chinese military presence at the CNN junction. Both sides are working diligently to address these issues, with the possibility of additional Corp-Commander level talks in case the outcomes of the ongoing Major General-level discussions prove fruitful.
China has put forth a proposal for a 15-20 km Buffer Zone within Indian territory as a part of the disengagement plan in Depsang. As of now, the discussions are ongoing, and the matters are being tackled in a comprehensive manner. The standoff between India and China has extended for three years, leading to a strained relationship at various levels due to border tensions. Over 50,000 troops from both countries are stationed along the Line of Actual Control in the Eastern Ladakh sector. Following extensive talks between National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, the 19th round of corps commander talks were eventually held after a four-month interval.