Ladakh stalemate continues into another winter

The border stalemate in Ladakh is continuing into its third winter season even as senior army commanders from India and China met on Tuesday and agreed to "maintain security and stability on the ground". The 17th round of Corps Commander-level meeting was held after a gap of five months at the Chusul-Moldo border meeting point.

It may be noted that the meeting only covered issues pertaining to the Ladakh border, and recent incidents in the North East, including a violent clash in the Tawang sector, did not come under its purview.

"They had a frank and in-depth discussion, keeping in line with the guidance provided by the state leaders to work for the resolution of the remaining issues at the earliest, which would help in restoration of peace and tranquillity along the LAC in the western sector and enable progress in bilateral relations," a joint statement released on Thursday stated.


Sources said there is no immediate progress on moving back the estimated 50,000 troops that each side has deployed on the border, following aggressive posturing by China in the months leading up to the deadly Galwan clash of June 2020.

The statement also did not indicate any forward movement on de-escalation of tensions on the Ladakh border and stuck to official terms used in the past to describe talks that hit a dead end. "The two sides agreed to maintain the security and stability on the ground in the western sector. The two sides agreed to stay in close contact and maintain dialogue through military and diplomatic channels and work out a mutually acceptable resolution of the remaining issues at the earliest," it read.