No ceremonial border personnel meeting with Chinese army amid Covid outbreak

A ceremonial Border Personnel Meeting (BPM) between Indian and Chinese armies scheduled to be held on Friday on the occasion of the May Day has been called off due to the coronavirus pandemic, officials said.

The meeting was to be hosted by the Chinese military in five designated locations along the nearly 3,500-km border between the two countries. A decision has been taken to call off the meeting in view of the coronavirus pandemic, officials said.

The two sides hold Border Personnel Meetings at five points --Daulat Beg Oldie in northern Ladakh, Kibithu in Arunachal Pradesh, Chusul in Ladakh, Bum-La near Tawang in Arunachal Pradesh and Nathu-La in Sikkim.

The Chinese side hosts ceremonial BPM on the occasion of Chinese National Day on October 1 and on May 1 while India organises it on January 26 and August 15. Usually, both sides resolve various operational issues at the BPMs.