Ladakh standoff: India, China hold second round of Lt Gen-level talks

India and China are holding another round of Lieutenant General-level talks on Monday (June 22) to discuss ways to de-escalate tension between the two sides in eastern Ladakh, official sources said.

The talks will be held at Moldo on the Chinese side of Chushul sector in eastern Ladakh. The high-level talks come a week after 20 Indian Army personnel were killed in a violent clash between the two sides in Galwan Valley. The meeting is expected to discuss the Galwan face-off and other points of dispute.

The Indian delegation at the talks is being led by 14 Corps Commander Lt Gen. Harinder Singh. The first round of Lt Gen-level talks were held on June 6 during which both sides decided to ‘disengage’ in all the sensitive areas.

Earlier, Major-General-level talks were held between both sides. On Sunday, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh had chaired a high-level meeting. After this, the government revisited the ‘rules of engagement’ at the Line of Actual Control (LoAC), thereby empowering field commanders to authorise the use of firearms under ‘extraordinary circumstances.’

Sources said the convention is that the side which seeks the meeting has the talks on their side. So, this could possibly a meeting called by the Chinese side.

(With inputs from Agencies)