India to adopt cautious approach in border negotiations with China

India will take a cautious approach and remain on guard as another round of border talks are scheduled with China next week, with possibility of further escalation not being ruled out given unpredictable behaviour of PLA along the Line of Actual Control (LAC).

While there has been no major incident on the contested border in Eastern Ladakh in the past few months, progress in talks has not taken place since September as deep mistrust still exists. There is a perception that PLA's words are not matched by its actions on ground.

Senior government sources said that the border situation remains tense and a long-term solution to the boundary issue is still not on the horizon, though efforts are being made to convince the Chinese side to delineate a formal LAC that both sides can adhere to. They added that there is no question of any third-party intervention to resolve the boundary issue with China and the two sides will deal with the matter bilaterally.


India will seek clarity on the Chinese stand regarding remaining flashpoints in Eastern Ladakh in the next round of Corps Commander-level talks that are set to take place on Wednesday (January 12) after a gap of three months. The flashpoint at Hot Springs is yet to be resolved and PLA troops are still blocking access for Indian patrols at the bottleneck feature in Depsang.

The last round of talks in October failed to achieve any breakthrough, with China hardening its position and refusing to take forward further de-escalation proposals. This has resulted in troops from both sides spending a second successive winter on icy heights in Eastern Ladakh.