Vikram Misri set for next round of Sino-Indian talks

New Delhi: Indian ambassador to China Vikram Misri’s back-to-back meetings in Beijing last week on the prevailing tensions in Pangong Tso and Depsang Plains along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) have set the stage for next round of dialogue between the military commanders and diplomats of the two countries. China remains adamant on its position on Pangong and Depsang, even as Misri held intense rounds of dialogue with the party and military officials. Misri’s engagements are likely to give direction to the next round of technical-level talks between the two neighbours. During last Friday’s talks between Misri and PLA Major General Ci Guowei (director of the CMC’s Office of International Military Cooperation), the Chinese side echoed the views expressed by the Chinese diplomats earlier. Chinese Ambassador to India Sun Weidong has said that India was “responsible for crossing the Line of Actual Control but the temperature is now coming down”. But, in reality, the Chinese army is present on Indian side of the LAC on the northern bank of Pangong Tso and continues to obstruct India’s patrolling in the Depsang Plains, according to officials. The Chinese have also not diluted their build-up in other areas, they said. Misri briefed Ci on “India’s stance vis-à-vis the situation on the borders in eastern Ladakh”, according to the Indian Embassy in Beijing. Misri’s outreach to CMC and the meeting with Liu Jianchaou, deputy director of the office of the CPC central committee foreign affairs commission, came against the backdrop of the five rounds of corps commanderlevel talks not making any headway due to PLA’s intransigence. The Depsang situation was discussed at major general-level talks on August 8.

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