India-China joint secretaries to hold WMCC meet on border tension amid 'cordial' LAC talks

Amid growing tensions between India and China, joint secretaries of both countries are scheduled to meet on Wednesday, June 24. This is a meet of  Working Mechanism on Consultation & Coordination (WMCC) for India-China Border Affairs. Both parties are likely to hold virtual meet to discuss border tensions between two countries.

WMCC talks are heed by joint secretary-level officials from both sides. WMCC was established in 2012 as an institutional mechanism for consultation and coordination for maintenance of peace and tranquillity in India-China border areas, as well as to exchange views on strengning communication and cooperation, including between ir border security personnel.

RE | Mutual consensus to diseng discussed at India-China corps commander talks; COAS in Leh

Corps Commander level talks on hold 

As Army Chief General Maj Mukund Naravane arrived in Leh on June 23 and reviewed on-ground situation and visited forward locations including hospitals where Indian Army Jawans are recovering after clash along LAC, Corps Commander level talks with China at Moldo that were scheduled to continue for second day on Tuesday were put on hold. meeting between Indian Army's 14 Corps Commander Lt Gen Harinder Singh and his Chinese counterpart did t take place on June 23, even as  Lt Gen Harinder Singh briefed Army chief. talks on previous day were positive, as per sources.

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Army Commander-level talks

After 11.5 hours on Monday, fourth set of talks Corps Commander-level talks concluded in Moldo at Line of Actual Control (LAC) between India and China. Sources stated that India demanded a return to April status quo, asking Chinese to remove ditional buildup done in Galwan and Pangong Tso areas. 

Amid this, sources informed Republic that se talks were held in a cordial, positive and constructive atmosphere. re was a mutual consensus to diseng, and modalities for disengment from all friction areas in Eastern Lakh were discussed and will be taken forward by both sides, sources ded.

RE | India-China Corps Commander talks on; Finger areas in Pangong remain bone of contention

China mits to Commander's fatality

Also on Monday, Chinese Army officials confirmed that ir commanding officer was killed in Galwan Valley clash on June 15, as per sources. China h previously mitted y h casualties but h t revealed numbers. US intelligence reports state that China has suffered at least 35 casualties. However, as part of its continued denial, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lijian Zhao claimed that number of PLA casualties as shown by Indian media is 'fake'.

Galwan clash

20 Indian Army soldiers including a Colonel were martyred when a violent faceoff took place last Monday night while  de-escalation process was underway in Galwan Valley. 76 ors suffered injuries in clash, in which hundreds of soldiers from both sides are said to have engd.

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