The 18th round of India-China Corps Commander Level Meeting was held on April 23, 2023

India and China have agreed to maintain security and stability on the ground along the border in the Western Sector, or the Line of Actual Control (LAC) along India's Eastern Ladakh region, which saw a massive mobilisation of troops amid a tense standoff in 2020.

The issue was discussed at the 18th round of India-China Corps Commander Level Meeting held at the Chushul-Moldo border meeting point on the Chinese side on Sunday (April 23, 2023).

According to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), "The two sides had a frank and in-depth discussion on the resolution of the relevant issues along the LAC in the Western Sector so as to restore peace and tranquility in the border areas, which will enable progress in bilateral relations".

In line with the guidance provided by the State Leaders and further to the meeting between the two Foreign Ministers in March 2023, they had an exchange of views in an open and candid manner, the MEA added.

"In the interim, the two sides agreed to maintain the security and stability on the ground in the Western Sector," the MEA said. They agreed to stay in close contact and maintain dialogue through military and diplomatic channels and work out a mutually acceptable resolution of the remaining issues at the earliest.

In June 2020, a tense standoff between Indian and Chinese troops in Eastern Ladakh had led to a violent face-off in Galwan Valley. Twenty Indian soldiers had lost their lives. A large number of Chinese troops were also killed though China has never officially confirmed the actual number of deaths. The subsequent months saw a massive mobilisation of military troops by both the sides.

Multiple rounds of talks since then have led to a disengagement at several points in that region. Disengagement has been completed at several places, including in Galwan Valley, Pangong Tso, and Gogra-Hot Springs (PP-15).

The last Corps Commander level talks was held in December 2022. The latest round of military levels talks comes ahead of Chinese Defence Minister Li Shangfu's scheduled visit to India for the upcoming SCO Defence Ministers Meeting in New Delhi on April 27-28, 2023.

In addition to the Corps Commander level talks, India and China have also been discussing disengagement in the remaining areas of Eastern Ladakh at the diplomatic level to restore peace and tranquility along the border. The 26th meeting of the Working Mechanism for Consultation & Coordination on India-China Border Affairs (WMCC) was held in Beijing on February 22, 2023.

During the WMCC meeting, the two sides discussed proposals for disengagement in the remaining areas in an open and constructive manner, which would help in restoration of peace and tranquillity along the LAC in Western Sector and create conditions for restoration of normalcy in bilateral relations.

The WMCC was established in 2012 in order to give India and China a forum for talks and cooperation on border issues.