Discussion on reopening Damchok route

SRINAGAR: For the first time after Beijing’s take over of Tibet, which forced an economic isolation of the arid Ladakh desert by closing its main trade highway, China and India on Tuesday discussed the reopening of the road that would restore Leh’s links with western Tibet.

India has almost everything ready at Damchok, the last post on this side, for resuming trade and restoring the relations.

Officials in the MEA told ET that they have started discussions for the first time on opening the Damchok border post. Informed sources said discussions on Tuesday took place on opening of three routes - two in Tawang (Arunachal) and one in Ladakh. The process has just begun and will take some more time, they pointed out. If opened, this will be Beijing’s resumption of first surface contact with this part of J&K.

It has already Karakaram highway connecting it with Islamabad through PoK and last year it started a daily bus service between Gilgit and Kashgar, a 12-hour long drive. In the plan is a rail link that would eventually give Beijing access to Pakistan’s Gawadar port through erstwhile J&K territories.