Fourth round of Corps Commander-level talks between India, China end on July 15 after around 14 hours

The fourth Corps Commander-level talks between India and China ended at around 2 am IST  (4.30 am Beijing time) on Wednesday (July 15). The meeting had started at 11:30 am at Chushul in Eastern Ladakh on Tuesday and went on for around 14 hours.

Though the details of the dialogue between the two sides are not known, it is believed that the talks mainly focused on the second phase of disengagement along the Line of Actual Control (LAC). The talks were significant because this was the first meeting between senior officials of Indian and Chinese troops after the first phase of disengagement along LAC.

On July 5, the Special Representatives of India and China on the Boundary Question – National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and Chinese State Councillor and Minister of Foreign Affairs Wang Yi - had a ‘frank and in-depth exchange’ during a telephone conversation during which they agreed that both sides should complete the ongoing disengagement process along the LAC expeditiously.

As part of the first phase of disengagement, Chinese troops have agreed to move back from Finger 4 to Finger 5 and Chinese troops have also moved back by around two kilometres in the other friction points including Galway valley, Hot Springs and Patrolling Point-15.

On July 6, the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) stepped back by around 1.5 kilometres from three friction sites in Galwan Valley. Rearward movement of vehicles of the PLA was seen at General area Galwan, Hot Springs-Gogra Post. They have also reduced their presence on the ridgeline of Finger 4 in the recent time as demanded by India.