Indian, Chinese generals meet to defuse border standoff

MALDO, China: Top Chinese and Indian generals Saturday held high-level talks in a Himalayan outpost in a bid to end the latest border standoff that has seen thousands of troops sent to both sides of the disputed border.

The talks were held in the border outpost of Maldo on the Chinese side of the Line of Actual Control (LAC) – the de facto border between the two countries, international media reported.

The talks came after multiple local military level meetings failed to defuse the tension, which arose after troops from both sides were involved in scuffles in early May followed by Chinese intrusion in several border areas that New Delhi claims as its own.

Most of 3,488km-long (2,167 miles) border between the two countries is disputed and non-demarcated.

While countries were tight-lipped about discussions in the four-hour meeting, Indian sources indicated that a statement might be issued late on Saturday night after high-level military and diplomatic deliberations.

Expectations were low in the Indian camp that the meeting would result in an immediate end to the standoff, but Indian officials said New Delhi could gain a better understanding of the reasons behind Beijing’s aggressive posturing on the border. Sources said the Indian side stressed the need for troops from both sides to return to positions they had held before the standoff began in early May. India was represented by 14 Corps Commander Lieutenant General Harinder Singh.

The meeting came after Indian and Chinese foreign ministry officials held a videoconference to discuss the boundary tensions on Friday evening.

In the meeting, the two sides decided to “handle their differences through peaceful discussions,” according to a statement released by the Indian Ministry of External Affairs.

Going into talks, Indian military sources had said that New Delhi would be pressing for the two militaries to go back to the positions that they had held before the standoff and for the Chinese side to not make any fresh territorial claims.

Sources said a high-level meeting like this would help the Indian authorities determine the reasons behind Chinese aggression.

“The Chinese decision-making can be quite opaque and hence, one does not understand what the immediate provocation for their aggression on the border could be. This meeting might hold the key,” a source said.

Retired Northern Army Commander Lt Gen DS Hooda described the high-level talks as “unprecedented”.