India-China 8th round of Corps Commander-level talks underway at Chushul, Moldo

Led-by 14 Corps Commander Lieutenant General PGK Menon, India entered the eight-round of Corps Commander-level talks with China, on Friday, to address the military standoff between the two countries at the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Eastern Ladakh. The last round of talks was held on October 12, wherein both sides discussed de-escalation measures and disengagement by the militaries. This will be the first round to be led by new Leh Corps Commander Lt Gen PGK Menon, who accompanied former GOC 14 corps commander Lt.Gen Harinder Singh in the previous two rounds.

The Seventh round was held on October 12 which continued for more than 11 hours after which a joint statement was released calling for enhanced communication and peaceful resolution through dialogue. Both India and China have deployed over 50,000 soldiers on each side before the sixth round of corps commander level talks held on September 21 after which status quo maintenance came into being. After the sixth round, India and China jointly decided to freeze the movement of troops, weapons and other deployments on either side until the issue is resolved.

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Prior to these corps commander level talks, virtual talks were held that attempted to de-escalate tensions with diplomatic involvements and to implement the five-point agreement reached between their foreign ministers in Moscow on September 10. External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi had held a bilateral meeting on the sidelines of a Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) where they had reached a five-point agreement which included quick disengagement of troops and avoiding actions that could escalate tensions. 

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'Situation along LAC remains tense'

As the eight-round of corps commander level talks got underway earlier today, Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Bipin Rawat has stated that the situation along the LAC remains tense. Speaking at the diamond jubilee seminar of the National Defence College, in a reference to the current border situation, Gen Rawat said  People's Liberation Army (PLA) is facing unanticipated consequences of its misadventure in Ladakh because of Indian Army's firm & strong response. 

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