Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Jan 1: On Day 1 of 2016, India and China reiterated their commitment to maintain peace and tranquility and uphold treaties and agreements signed between the two countries during high level meeting between top officials of the two Armies at Border Meeting Point on Chinese side of Eastern Ladakh.
The meeting comes within a fortnight after the visit of Northern Army Commander Lt Gen DS Hooda to China including Lanzhou Military Region of China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) that looks after the region opposite Ladakh sector.
Defence spokesperson (Ministry of Defence) Col SD Goswami told the Excelsior that top Army officials of India and China met at Chinese Border Meeting Point hut at Moldi Garrison in Chushul sector of Eastern Ladakh this morning and discussed various issues of mutual concern.
“The meeting was held in free, congenial and cordial environment in which the two sides decided to build on mutual feeling to uphold treaties and agreements signed between the Governments of India and China from time to time to maintain peace and tranquility along the LAC,” Col Goswami said.
Official sources said during the recent visit of Lt Gen DS Hooda, Army Commander of Northern Command to Lanzhou Military Region, measures to maintain cordial relations, peace and tranquility were discussed and today’s meeting in Eastern Ladakh decided to take them forward.
Brigadier Vijyant Yadav led the Indian delegation while Senior Colonel Fan Jun led the PLA Army officials in the meeting.
India and China have been holding regular meetings in Ladakh sector to maintain peace and resolve the issues, if any, between them. This, according to sources, has led to no incursions along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Ladakh sector for past quite some time now while the incursions were on the rise about two years ago.
The meeting was marked by saluting of national flag of China by both the delegation members, which was followed by address by the Army officials of the two sides leading the delegations. This, sources said, reflected mutual desire of India and China to maintain and improve relations at functional level at the borders.
Both the sides decided to carry forward the practice of holding regular meetings along the LAC in Ladakh sector to maintain harmonious relations and resolve the issues, if any.
India and China share about 646 kilometers LAC in Ladakh sector, which was un-demarcated. Sources said it was due to non-demarcation of the LAC that territorial disputes arise between the two sides. However, they were being worked out at local levels.
During Lt Gen Hooda’s fix days visit to China from December 14-19 recently, the two sides had reached an understanding that they would resolve local issues, if any, at the level of field commanders by holding meetings at two Border Meeting Points (BMPs)-Chushul and Daulat Beg Oldie (DBO) in Ladakh sector. The DBO BMP had been commissioned this year only.
India and China also proposed to open more BMPs in Ladakh sector in due course of time to increase the level of inter-action between the two Armies especially at the time of any disputes.
Sources said China was keen to enhance the level of military inter-actions between the two sides and Lanzhou Military Region Commander of China Liu Yuejun could pay reciprocal visit to New Delhi including Northern Command of the Army next year.
The Indian military delegation visited Lanzhou Military Region during their visit from December 14 to 19, which covers majority of area of China falling opposite Ladakh sector and had detailed discussions with the PLA Commanders there on strategic issues like patrolling along the LAC, manning un-demarcated boundary and maintaining peace.
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