India and China agree to respect the ‘Line of Actual Control’ ⁠— but it is not clear if the two sides agree on where the line is

• Diplomatic talks between India and China took place today, June 24 and both sides agreed to “strictly respect and observe the Line of Actual Control (LAC)” in the Ladakh region.
• Earlier today, China’s Defence Ministry spokesperson said that Indian troops infiltrated across China’s border and that they were only acting in self-defence.
• India maintains that China’s attack on Indian troops was premeditated and planned — and not something that happened in a fluke of the moment.
  

Diplomatic talks between China and India concluded to with them agreeing to “strictly respect and observe the Line of Actual Control (LAC)” in the Ladakh region.

The virtual conference took place between the Joint Secretary (East Asia) in the Ministry of External Affairs Naveen Srivastava and Director General in the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs Wu Jianghao.

“The Indian side conveyed its concerns on the recent developments in Eastern Ladakh, including on the violent face off in Galwan Valley area on 15th June that had resulted in casualties,” said the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) in a statement.

The clash that took place between Indian and Chinese troops on June 15 occurred amidst an attempted de-escalation process after talks on June 6 — claiming the lives of 20 Indian soldiers and an undeclared number of casualties in the People’s Liberation Army.

China’s side of the story
The development comes after China’s Defence Ministry accused India earlier today of trying to unilaterally change the status quo along the India-China border in Galwan Valley.

According to the Defence Ministry’s Spokesperson, Wu Qian, “The Chinese border troops took decisive countermeasures in self-defence, resolutely fought back against the violent acts of the Indian side.”

Qian claims that Chinese troops were “forced” to take the necessary steps to respond to the situation to safeguard the national sovereignty and territorial integrity of the country. “India should bear full responsibility for the incident that was solely and completely triggered by its breach of consensus and unilateral provocations,” he added.

His statement also accused India of unilaterally building facilities along the border since April 2020. “The Chinese side has lodged representations and oppositions to the Indian side many times,” he said. Even the clash that occurred on May 6 was a result of Indian troops crossing over to China’s side of the border, according to Qian.

India’s side of the story
Last week on June 20, the Ministry of External Affairs said, “The position will regard to the Galwan Valley area has been historically clear. Attempts by the Chinese side to now advance exaggerated and untenable claims with regard to the Line of Actual Control (LAC) there are not acceptable.”

During a telephonic interaction between Indian Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar and his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi, India asserted that China’s actions were “premeditated” and “planned” leading to violence and the resulting casualties.

Jaishankar made it clear that China’s intent to change the facts on the ground were in violation of the agreements made between the two countries and did not change the status quo.

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