The latest corps commander-level meeting between India and China, held at the Moldo-Chushul border point on the Indian side of the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh, focused on maintaining peace and stability along the LAC.
The two countries acknowledged the progress made since the 22nd round of corps commander-level talks held in October last year. They also committed to using existing military and diplomatic mechanisms to address outstanding issues and maintain stability along the border, which has been the cause of numerous frictions between the two sides.
The talks marked the first high-level military engagement since the special representatives’ meeting in August 2025 between NSA Ajit Doval and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi.
However, both countries remain cautious of each other, and there appears to be no reduction in the number of troops deployed along the LAC, even though some disengagement has taken place at friction points. While the talks are encouraging, there are still no vital signs of complete de-escalation since the military standoff began in May 2020, culminating in the Galwan valley clashes.
It has taken more than four years for the two border countries to reach this stage of dialogue, so these talks should be viewed as a small but positive step forward. China’s Defence Ministry stated that both sides had “active and in-depth communication” on managing the western section of the border and agreed to maintain dialogue and communication.
What is essential now is to keep communication channels open and continue engagement in the interest of lasting peace.