New Delhi: In the backdrop of the Ladakh incursion and the rising Chinese naval presence in the Indian Ocean, Indian and Chinese army officers will discuss border management and confidence building measures at Nathu La in Sikkim on Wednesday. Indian Army officers will go across to the Chinese side for the talks.
This will be followed by another round of talks on September 15 when Chinese officers will come to India. Nathu La is one of three border posts open for trade. During the meeting, the two sides will discuss the issues between them in the sector, Army officials said.
The meeting is held every year at the Nathu La border post between the two sides on May 15 and September 15 where Brigadier-level officers meet. On May 15, the Indian troops cross over to the other side while on September 15, Chinese troops come to Indian side.
The two sides were recently locked in a stand-off after Chinese troops had intruded into the Depsang valley in Daulat Beg Oldi sector on April 15 and pitched their tents 19 km inside Indian territory there. The two Armies agreed to withdraw from there after hectic diplomatic and military parleys between them.
India had asked its troops to remain on alert along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in all sectors after the incursion incident took place. Reiterating India's proposal of having clarification and confirmation on LAC in the India-China border areas pending the final settlement, Akbaruddin said "if there are attempts to move that forward, we stand ready on that because it was our proposal at that stage."
Noting that in the agreements done in 1993 and 1996 between India and China on the issue of LAC, there were clarifications on the differing perceptions on LAC and there were exchanges on it, the sources said that somehow in later years, this discussion went off the table from Chinese side, probably because there was a sense that it may be taken as default boundary. "There is a need to revive this particular subject to prevent incident of this nature. Clarifications we really seek is imperative and is required. (Otherwise) This (Depsang incursion) kind of incidents could recur. This is something we would certainly flag," sources said.
Asked if the boundary issue will figure during talks between Chinese Premier Li Keqiang and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, he said all bilateral, regional and international issues will be discussed. Li will arrive here on 19 May and will also visit Mumbai, where he will have attend a business meet.
With Additional in Inputs from PTI
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