Wang Yi invites NSA to visit China; talks focus on complete disengagement at LAC: Sources

In an important development on Friday, China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi held talks with National Security Advisor Ajit Doval amid the faceoff at the Line of Actual Control. This marked the first visit to India by a senior leader from China since the Galwan Valley clash in June 2020. While both countries remained tight-lipped on the possibility of his India tour, he arrived in the national capital on Thursday night after visiting Islamabad and Kabul in the last couple of days. As per sources, the talks were held in a cordial atmosphere and both officials stressed on completing complete disengagement in the remaining areas along the LAC.

They also called for removing impediments to allow the bilateral relationship to take its natural course. Maintaining that the continuation of the present situation is not in mutual interest, they reportedly agreed that the restoration of peace and tranquility will help build mutual trust and create enabling environment for progress in bilateral relations. Sources also revealed that both Doval and Wang affirmed the need to continue positive interactions at diplomatic and military levels for the restoration of peace and tranquility, which is a prerequisite for normalisation.

They also emphasised that actions should not violate the spirit of equal and mutual security. Sources added that the Chinese delegation invited the NSA to visit their country to take forward the mandate of Special Representatives. Doval responded positively to the invitation but made it clear that he could visit China only after immediate issues are resolved successfully. It is worth noting that the MEA had come down heavily on the Chinese Foreign Minister for raking up the Jammu and Kashmir issue during his speech to the OIC in Pakistan. 

LAC faceoff lingers on

The faceoff at the Line of Actual Control was exacerbated when 21 Indian Army soldiers including a Commanding Officer were martyred in the Galwan Valley on June 15, 2020, when the de-escalation process was underway. The Galwan Valley clash was followed by multiple attempts of provocation by the Chinese side at the end of August 2020. Multiple rounds of military commander-level and Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination on India-China Border Affairs(WMCC) meetings have taken place between the two sides to resolve the crisis.

Besides this, EAM S Jaishankar and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh have met their respective counterparts. So far, the armies of India and China have disengaged from multiple places, including north and south of Pangong Tso and Gogra. India has been looking forward to ensuring the disengagement in the remaining areas along the LAC such as Hot Springs and Depsang at the earliest.