India and China are likely to hold the 8th round of Corps Commander talks later this week to work out a plan for disengagement and de-escalation along the disputed border in Eastern Ladakh.
The talks are likely to be held on the Indian side at Chushul, a defence source said. This will be the first round of talks with the Indian side led by Lt. Gen. PGK Menon, who took over as the 14 Corps Commander on October 13, a day after the 7th round of Commander talks which were led by Lt. Gen. Harinder Singh. Lt. Gen. Menon has attended the last two rounds of talks.
With no progress in talks to resolve the standoff which has been going on since the first week of May, both sides have made preparations to maintain thousands of troops and equipment in extreme conditions in the high-altitude winter. The Indian stand continues to be complete disengagement and de-escalation along entire Eastern ladakh, the source stated.
After the 6th round of talks on September 21, both sides for the first time issued a joint statement in which they agreed to “stop sending more troops to the frontline” and “refrain from unilaterally changing the situation on the ground”. However, there has been no progress towards resolution in the next round.
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