India Releases Statement After The 18th Round Of Border Talks With China; Says Will Keep Talking To Resolve All Issues Peacefully

The Indian government has released a statement on the recently concluded 18th round of military level talks between India and China held to reduce the ongoing tensions along the Line of Actual Control (LAC).

These talks are coming just a day after the confirmation of a visit by the Chinese Defence Minister to India to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation's (SCOs) Defence Minister's Meet on April 27-28.

The Indian Government statement said, "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".

The statement added, "in the interim, the two sides agreed to maintain the security & stability on the ground in the Western Sector. The two sides agreed to stay in close contact & maintain dialogue through military/diplomatic channels & work out a mutually acceptable resolution of the remaining issues".

The Indian and Chinese forces are locked in a border dispute since May 2020, when twenty Indian soldiers and an estimated 40-45 Chinese soldiers died in a border clash at Galwan Valley in Ladakh.

Since then the Indian Army has maintained strong vigil on the Line of Actual Control (LAC). However, it appears that the Chinese have yet to disengage from the border areas, as noted by several experts.

In fact, recent reports suggest that the Chinese have been reinforcing their positions along the border, particularly in the northeastern state of Arunachal Pradesh. This was followed by another brutal clash with Indian and Chinese troops in the Yangtse locality of the Tawang district in Arunchal Pradesh.

The Chinese had, just two weeks ago also announced names of eleven locations inside Arunachal Pradesh, which resulted in the war of words between the Union Home Minister Amit Shah and the Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson, as well.