Ladakh row: India, China agree to work out mutually acceptable resolution

"The two sides reaffirmed that the resolution of remaining issues would help in the restoration of peace and tranquility along the LAC in the Western Sector and enable progress in bilateral relations," the Defence Ministry said.

New Delhi: The Indian and Chinese armies agreed to work out a mutually acceptable resolution of the remaining issues in eastern Ladakh at the earliest during their 16th round of high-level talks on Sunday. A joint statement issued by the two sides said it was reaffirmed that the resolution of pending issues would help in the restoration of peace and tranquility along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in the region and enable progress in bilateral relations.

The statement was issued on Monday night, a day after the two sides held the talks that lasted for around 12-and-half hours. 

"Building on the progress made at the last meeting on 11th March 2022, the two sides continued discussions for the resolution of the relevant issues along the LAC in the Western Sector in a constructive and forward-looking manner," the statement said.

The government refers to the eastern Ladakh region as the Western sector. "They had a frank and in-depth exchange of views in this regard, in keeping with the guidance provided by the state leaders to work for the resolution of the remaining issues at the earliest," the statement said.

"The two sides reaffirmed that the resolution of remaining issues would help in the restoration of peace and tranquility along the LAC in the Western Sector and enable progress in bilateral relations," it said.

It said, in the interim, the two sides agreed to maintain the security and stability on the ground in the region. "The two sides agreed to stay in close contact and maintain dialogue through military and diplomatic channels and work out a mutually acceptable resolution of the remaining issues at the earliest," the statement said.

The Indian delegation at the talks was led by Lt-General Anindya Sengupta, the commander of the Leh-based 14 Corps, while the Chinese team was headed by South Xinjiang Military District Chief Major General Yang Lin.

The 15th round of military dialogue which took place on March 11 failed to yield any significant outcome. In the discussions on Sunday, the Indian delegation insisted on the restoration of the status quo ante as of April 2020 -- before the start of the military standoff, people familiar with the developments said.

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