Maintenance of Peace and Tranquility along LAC Basis of Our Bilateral Relationship with China: India

India on Thursday asserted that the maintenance of peace and tranquility along the Line of Control (LAC) is the basis of its bilateral relationship with China, and said it expected the Chinese side to be sincere in completing the disengagement of troops in eastern Ladakh.

At an online media briefing, MEA Spokesperson Anurag Srivastava said another round of diplomatic talks under the framework of the Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination (WMCC) is expected to be scheduled soon.

"The maintenance of peace and tranquility in the border areas is the basis of our bilateral relationship," he said. "Therefore it is our expectation that the Chinese side will sincerely work with us for complete disengagement and de-escalation and full restoration of peace and tranquility in the border areas at the earliest as agreed to by the Special Representatives," Srivastava added.

National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi held a nearly two-hour-long telephonic conversation on July 5 to bring down tension between the armies of the two countries in eastern Ladakh. Both sides began the disengagement process from July 6 following the talks between Doval and Wang who were Special Representatives for the boundary question.

"We have also made it clear that India is fully committed to observing and respecting the LAC and that we will not accept any unilateral attempts to change the status quo along the LAC," said Srivastava.

He said the two sides have agreed during the conversation of the special representatives to work towards complete disengagement of the troops along the LAC and de-escalation from India-China border areas for full restoration of peace and tranquility.