New Delhi: India on Thursday criticised “inaccurate and uninformed” comments about the disengagement process after reports raised questions on the pull-back by Indian troops at Ladakh.
Indian and Chinese troops are continuing with their process of disengagement and de-escalation in the western sector, where the two armies recently had their most serious border clashes in decades.
The MEA spokesperson Anurag Srivastava said that diplomatic and military officials are continuing their interactions, with the next meeting of the Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination on India-China border affairs (WMCC) “expected to take place soon”.
According to official sources, the second meeting of the WMCC may take place on Friday.
Last Sunday, the two Special Representatives on the Boundary Question, Indian national security advisor Ajit Doval and China’s foreign minister Wang Yi discussed the ongoing stand-off between the militaries of both sides on the India-China border.
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In Beijing, Chinese foreign affairs spokesperson Zhao Lijian said that the situation at the border was “stable and ameliorating” with the troops taking “effective measures to disengage at Galwan valley and other areas of the western sector”.
He also said that the two sides will be holding a new round of commander-level talks and the meeting of the Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination on India-China Border Affairs (WMCC).
“We hope India will work with China towards the same goal to implement consensus reached between the two sides with concrete actions and jointly de-escalate tensions in the border region,” added Zhao.
Meanwhile, the Indian government expressed unhappiness at “some inaccurate and uninformed comments about the disengagement process and its implications”.
There have been reports critical about the mutual pull-back of troops to allow for a ‘buffer zone’ between the soldiers, which according to some observers would mean that India was withdrawing from its own territory.
Also read: Chinese Pullback at Galwan Comes at a Cost, Indian Retreat Shifts LAC to its Disadvantage
Srivastava recounted that Indian government has described the Chinese claims at Galwan valley as “exaggerated and untenable”. He also noted that India has asserted that the LAC must be “strictly” respected and observed as the basis for peace and tranquility in the border areas and that there should not be any “unilateral action” to alter it.
“We remain convinced of the need for maintenance of peace and tranquility in the border areas and the resolution of differences through dialogue, at the same time, we are also strongly committed to ensuring India’s sovereignty and territorial integrity,” he stated.