The Indian side insisted on disengagement as soon as possible in all the remaining friction points during the 14th round of military talks.
New Delhi: The fresh round of military talks between India and China was held on Wednesday (January 12) after New Delhi lashed out at Beijing for building a bridge across the Pangong lake in eastern Ladakh. Sources said the Indian delegation at the talks was led by Lt Gen Anindya Sengupta, the Commander of the Leh-based 14 Corps, while the Chinese side was headed by South Xinjiang Military District Chief Maj Gen Yang Lin.
At the talks at the Chushul-Moldo border, the Indian side pressed for an early disengagement of troops in the remaining friction points in eastern Ladakh at the 14th round of military talks. The focus of the parleys was to carry forward the disengagement process at Hot Springs (Patrolling Point 15).
In the afternoon, Army Chief Gen M M Naravane said, "The 14th round of the Corps Commander level talks is underway, and I am hopeful that you shall see further developments in the days ahead." He also said, while there has been 'partial disengagement', the threat has by "no means reduced".
The Indian side also insisted on disengagement as soon as possible in all the remaining friction points. The 13th round of talks had taken place on October 10 but reportedly ended in a stalemate. China shares its 22,457 km land boundary with 14 countries, including India, the third-longest after the borders with Mongolia and Russia.
India on January 6 criticised Chinese approaches. Regarding reports about a bridge built by the Chinese side on Pangong lake, MEA spokesman Arindam Bagchi has said the "Government of India has been monitoring this activity closely. This bridge is being constructed in areas that have been under illegal occupation by China for around 60 years now. As you are well aware, India has never accepted such illegal occupation."
Separately, he said the Government of India has been taking all necessary steps to ensure that "our security interests are fully protected".
