Cabinet Committee on Security discusses BDCA with China

NEW DELHI: Ahead of Chinese premier Li Keqiang's visit, the Cabinet Committee on Security is understood to have discussed the Border Defence Cooperation Agreement ( BDCA) proposed by China to avoid any flare-up situation between the troops of the two sides at the Line of Actual Control.

The meeting finalised the agenda for Li's visit and is understood to have discussed India's stand on the BDCA proposed by the Chinese side in March during the Defence Secretary-level talks between the two sides, sources said.

It is learnt that the Army has certain reservations on a proposal regarding coordinated patrolling by the two sides along the LAC and this has been conveyed to the government, they said.

The government has been holding deliberations on the Chinese proposal and it was discussed at a high-level meeting chaired by Defence Minister A K Antony earlier this week where National Security Advisor Shivshankar Menon and Army Chief Gen Bikram Singh were also present.

The BDCA has a clause which suggests that troops of either side will not fire at each other under any condition.

India was thinking of going slow on the proposal earlier but the deliberations on it have gained momentum after the recent stand-off between the troops of the two sides after the Chinese soldiers had pitched tents 19 km inside the Indian territory on April 15.

The two sides are not likely to ink any agreement on the issue during the Chinese premier's visit but it is expected to take some concrete shape during Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's proposed Beijing visit in near future.