The latest round of military-level talks between India and China over the border issue failed to yield anything concrete with Beijing continuing the aggressive approach. The latest talks, held after a gap of four months, ended without any breakthrough. The two countries have so far held more than two dozen rounds of diplomatic and military level negotiations since the June 2020 Eastern Ladakh stand-off but have failed to find any solution to the border dispute. New Delhi has done well to stand firm on two key demands: early disengagement of troops from all remaining friction points in eastern Ladakh; and the restoration of the status quo ante as of April 2020, before the conflict began.
There was a sense of optimism in a section of diplomatic circles that a mutually agreeable solution was on cards in view of the prospect of Chinese President Xi Jinping visiting Delhi next month for the G20 summit. However, it has turned out to be a misplaced one. A joint statement issued at the end of the meeting of the corps commanders merely said the two sides only agreed to resolve the remaining issues speedily and maintain peace and tranquility on the ground. Beijing’s obstinacy on disengagement at sensitive points in the Eastern Ladakh region reflects its strategy of playing hardball that has kept the face-off alive even after three years. The unresolved border tension has led to an unprecedented build-up of troops on both sides. An uneasy calm continues to prevail in areas along the LAC, which had witnessed a bloody faceoff between Indian and Chinese troops in the Galwan valley. The situation continues to be tense including in Arunachal Pradesh.