At WMCC meeting with China, India stresses on both sides respecting LAC amid faceoff

At the 15th meeting of the Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination on India-China Border Affairs (WMCC) on Wednesday, India stressed that both sides must strictly respect the LAC. This was in the context of the Indian side raising concerns about the recent developments in Eastern Ladakh, including the violent faceoff in Galwan Valley area that had resulted in casualties. Recalling the previous week's conversation between External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi, both sides reaffirmed that the understanding on disengagement and de-escalation that was reached by senior Commanders on June 6 should be implemented.

The delegations from India and China agreed that the expeditious implementation of this understanding would help ensure peace in border areas and develop the broader relationship between the two countries. They also took note of the discussions in the second meeting of the senior Commanders held on June 22. Thereafter, both sides agreed to maintain communication at the diplomatic and military level to resolve the present situation peacefully. While the Indian delegation was led by Joint Secretary (East Asia), Director-General of the Department of Boundary and Oceanic Affairs of the Chinese Foreign Ministry led the Chinese delegation. 

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India-China violent faceoff

20 Indian Army soldiers including a Commanding Officer were martyred when a violent faceoff took place on June 15 when the de-escalation process was underway in the Galwan Valley. As per the Editor-in-Chief of the Chinese newspaper Global Times, the Chinese side also suffered casualties during the physical clash. On June 18, the Indian Army revealed that a total of 76 personnel had been injured out of which 18 admitted to the Leh hospital can resume duty in about 15 days. As per the Army, the remaining 58 soldiers should be back on duty within a week's time. 

During the all-party meeting on June 19, PM Modi stressed that neither anyone had intruded into Indian land nor taken over any post of the country. After this statement came in for criticism from opposition leaders, the PMO clarified that his observations pertained to the situation as a consequence of the bravery of the Indian Armed Forces. It stated that the soldiers of the 16 Bihar Regiment had foiled the Chinese attempt to erect structures on the Indian side of the LAC. The PMO made it clear that the Union government would not allow any unilateral change of the LAC.

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