India China Border Talks: India, China hold first corps commander talks in Arunachal Pradesh’s eastern sector

The meeting was held at the Wacha-Damai border meeting point in Arunachal Pradesh’s Kibithoo region (File photo)

NEW DELHI: The Indian and Chinese armies reviewed the situation along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in the Arunachal Pradesh sector during corps commander-level talks on Sunday, days after the two countries held Special Representative (SR) talks in Beijing on the long-standing boundary question.The meeting was held at the Wacha-Damai border meeting point in Arunachal Pradesh’s Kibithoo region, with the focus on maintaining peace and tranquillity along the frontier, people familiar with the matter said, as per news agency PTI.The Indian delegation was headed by Lieutenant General Girish Kalia, commander of the Indian Army’s Dimapur-based 3 Corps. There was no official word on the talks.The meeting came amid reports of aggressive military posturing by Chinese troops along the LAC in the Upper Subansiri region of Arunachal Pradesh.

First corps commander-level talks in eastern sector

The latest engagement was the first corps commander-level military meeting between the two sides at the Wacha-Damai border meeting point.India and China have primarily held such military-level meetings at the Chusul-Moldo border meeting point in the Ladakh sector.The latest engagement provided a mechanism for the two sides to address issues in the eastern sector through military channels.The Indian Army has two Corps formations looking after the LAC in Arunachal Pradesh — the Tezpur-based 4 Corps and the Rangapahar-based 3 Corps. The 3 Corps is responsible for operational areas along the LAC in Arunachal Pradesh.India and China have different perceptions of the LAC, which have at times resulted in face-offs.

Talks follow Doval-Wang meeting in Beijing

The corps commander-level meeting came days after national security adviser Ajit Doval and Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi held the SR talks in Beijing on August 25.The discussions focused on delimitation of the frontier and sustaining work on trans-boundary cooperation. India conveyed the importance of maintaining peace and tranquillity along the frontier for the overall development of bilateral ties.In his remarks at the meeting, Doval said normalcy in India-China relations had been a direct result of both sides maintaining peace and tranquillity in the border areas.The ministry of external affairs had said the Indian side highlighted the importance of maintaining peace and tranquillity in the India-China border areas for the continued development and progress of bilateral relations.Doval and Wang are the designated Special Representatives for the boundary talks mechanism, which was established in 2003 to comprehensively address the dispute over the 3,488-km India-China border.

Eight-point consensus on border management

The SR talks resulted in an eight-point consensus aimed at improving management of the border.The two sides agreed to advance consultations for an “early and substantial harvest” of boundary delimitation and directed the Expert Group on Boundary Delimitation and Working Group on Border Management to take forward discussions.They also agreed to set up two additional meeting points for military talks and two more channels of border military hotlines in the Eastern and Middle sectors.The two sides agreed that situations on the ground would be addressed promptly through existing diplomatic and military channels, including the Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination on India-China Border Affairs, local commander-level meetings and other agreed mechanisms.The joint statement said the two sides discussed ways to improve their understanding of the LAC in appropriate areas for better border management.The two countries also reaffirmed their commitment to maintaining peace and tranquillity in the border areas and creating an atmosphere for the healthy and steady development of bilateral relations.The consensus also covered trans-border trade and cooperation on rivers. Both sides agreed to strengthen exchanges and cooperation in border trade, pilgrimage and other areas.They also agreed to hold the next meeting of the India-China Expert-Level Mechanism on Trans-border Rivers in September.

Efforts to rebuild bilateral ties

The latest military engagement comes as India and China have taken a series of measures in recent months to rebuild their relationship after ties came under severe strain following the deadly Galwan Valley clashes in 2020.The two sides also agreed to hold the 26th round of Special Representative talks in India in 2027.