Situation in Eastern Ladakh ‘quite stable’: Army Chief General MM Naravane

Army Chief General MM Naravane said that he hoped the Indian Army and Chinese Army would be able to reach an agreement to withdraw troops from the disputed areas in East Ladakh and reduce tension.

Naravane said in a seminar that senior commanders of India and China are holding talks on ways to reduce tensions in eastern Ladakh. He said, "We are hopeful of reaching an agreement that is mutually acceptable and genuinely beneficial."

We are hopeful of reaching an agreement which is mutually acceptable and is really beneficial in keeping with the overarching policy guidelines,” General Naravane said.

The Chief of Army Staff said that, at present, the situation in the region is ‘quite stable’.

Commenting on the Indian troops who are deployed in the high-altitude region, Naravane said that the soldiers are equipped with appropriate clothing and weapons at the onset of the treacherous winter season, and “there is no shortage whatsoever”.

India and China are likely to hold another round of military talks this week to discuss specific proposals to achieve success in the ongoing talks about the withdrawal of troops in eastern Ladakh. 

In the eighth round of talks
held on Friday, he said that in the eighth round of talks at the core commander level on Friday, there was a wide discussion on withdrawal from specific points of deadlock and both sides would like to take this ‘positive’ dialogue to the next round for detailed discussion.

 “The proposals are expected to be discussed this week in another round of talks,” a source said. The next round of talks will also be of Corps Commander level. The Indian and Chinese armies said in a joint statement that the talks were clear, deep and positive.

The consent statement to carry forward the Warto said that it was agreed to seriously implement the important agreement between the leaders of the two countries and ensure that the forces deployed along the border exercise restraint and avoid misunderstanding.

The statement issued in Beijing and New Delhi said that the two sides agreed to maintain dialogue and dialogue through military and diplomatic channels and to pursue negotiations for resolution of old issues.

The eighth round of high-level military talks took place in Chushul on Friday along the Indian side of the Line of Actual Control (LAC) between the Indian Army and the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) of China, which lasted for 11 hours in Chushul. 

The talks lasted for about 11 hours. In the talks, the armies of the two countries had agreed to meet again soon.

 The statement said that the two sides had constructive, frank and in-depth talks on the withdrawal of forces from across the Line of Control in the western sector of the India-China border areas.

“It was agreed to seriously enforce the critical consensus between the leaders of the two countries and ensure that the forces deployed along the border exercise restraint and avoid misunderstanding.” 

“The two sides agreed to maintain dialogue and dialogue through military and diplomatic channels and to pursue negotiations to resolve the old issues, so that peace will remain in the border areas,” the statement said.