Indo-China military commanders agree to avoid misunderstandings, jointly safeguard peace

Amid the LAC faceoff, India and China on Tuesday released a joint statement on the outcome of the 6th military commander-level meeting held on September 21. As per the statement, senior commanders from both sides had a candid discussion on stabilising the situation along the Line of Actual Control. They agreed to earnestly implement the consensus reached by PM Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping and avoid misunderstandings. 

Moreover, they stressed on strengthening communication on the ground and refraining from unilaterally changing the status quo. A consensus was formed on holding the 7th round of senior military commanders at the earliest. The statement mentioned that it was necessary to take practical measures for maintaining peace in the border areas. There are friction points in Eastern Ladakh, Gogra, Kongka La and Pangong Lake's north and south banks. 

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Here is the joint statement:

"On September 21, the Indian and Chinese Senior Commanders held the 6th round of Military Commander-Level Meeting. The two sides had candid and in-depth exchanges of views on stabilizing the situation along the LAC in the India - China border areas. They agreed to earnestly implement the important consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries, strengthen communication on the ground, avoid misunderstandings and misjudgments, stop sending more troops to the frontline, refrain from unilaterally changing the situation on the ground, and avoid taking any actions that may complicate the situation. The two sides also agreed to hold the 7th round of Military Commander-Level Meeting as soon as possible, take practical measures to properly solve problems on the ground, and jointly safeguard peace and tranquility in the border area."

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The LAC faceoff

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh made a statement on the LAC situation in both the Houses of Parliament. He affirmed that the Armed Forces were capable of facing any challenge from China. While acknowledging that the situation at the LAC is very different both in terms of the scale of troops involve and the number of friction points, he reiterated India's commitment for a peaceful resolution of the dispute. Observing that the violent conduct of Chinese troops was a violation of all past agreements, he informed the MPs that India has done counter deployments in the area to safeguard the border. 

Read: Rajnath Singh's Statement On LAC Faceoff Angers Congress; Seeks Exposé Of China's Deceit