Published 19:02 IST, August 4th 2020
COAS holds review meeting after five Indo-China LAC talks; Def Min, NSA, EAM present
After five rounds of LAC talks between India and China, Chief of Army staff Gen. Bipin Rawat on Tuesday, held a review meeting in Delhi regarding the progress.
After five rounds of LAC talks between India and China, Chief of Army staff Gen. Bipin Rawat on Tuesday, held a review meeting in Delhi regarding the progress. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar are present at the meeting, as per sources. India has maintained total 'disengagement and de-escalation' at the LAC after the Galwan clashes. Diplomatic talks are also on to reportedly fix patrolling patterns to avoid skirmishes.
India-China hold fifth border talks
On Sunday, Senior commanders of India and China's armies held 11-hour negotiations at Moldo on the Chinese side of the Line of Actual Control (LAC). India maintained the restoration of the status quo in all areas of eastern Ladakh by total disengagement. India has also stated that the Army will not compromise on the country’s territorial integrity. Sources state that the Indian side doubts the sincerity of the Chinese army as they “stabbed in the back” during the Galwan clashes.
Chinese Army pulls back
Over four rounds of Indo-China talks, the Chinese People's Liberation Army has retreated from the Finger 4 area and Patrol point 14 along the LAC. The 'Fingers' refer to the peaks which extend upto banks of the Pangong Tso Lake - India claims patrolling rights from 'Finger 1' to 'Finger 8' while China claims from 'Finger 8' to 'Finger 4', as per reports. The talks on Sunday discussed finalising the modalities for further de-escalation, and disengagement of troops. While China has retreated from Galwan Valley, it has not completely withdrawal of troops from Gogra and Pangong Tso.
What happened at Galwan?
20 Indian Army soldiers including Commanding Officer were martyred when a violent faceoff took place on Monday night while the de-escalation process was underway in the Galwan Valley. Sources revealed that India's colonel Santosh Babu and two jawans were attacked by Chinese Army personnel with iron rods while removing a tent put up by China at patrol point 14, leading to hand-to-hand combat. While three soldiers were killed in action, 17 other succumbed to their injuries and hypothermia, four others are in critical but stable condition, while 72 others are recuperating from minor injuries at various hospitals. China, which has not revealed its casualties from June 15 clashes, has admitted the loss of a Commanding officer.
Updated 19:02 IST, August 4th 2020