India-China military talks delayed, 7-month pause

India and China have not held any high-level military talks for the last seven months, sparking concerns over the delay in resolving the ongoing border tensions. The last Corps Commander-level talks were held on February 19, 2024, marking the 21st round of discussions. Since then, no new military meetings have taken place, leading to the longest gap in dialogue since the talks began in June 2020.

Relations between India and China deteriorated following the bloody standoff in the Galwan Valley, Ladakh, in May 2020. Though disengagement began in February 2021, and multiple rounds of talks have been held since then, a comprehensive resolution remains elusive.

While routine communication between officers on the ground continues, the lack of high-level military talks has raised speculation about the reasons behind the prolonged delay. Some experts suggest that initial progress was made regarding patrolling rights and disengagement at some points, but critical issues in areas like Depsang Plains and Demchok remain unresolved.

Retired Maj General Ashok Kumar highlighted that despite early breakthroughs, further negotiations seem to have stalled, and both countries might be waiting for higher political intervention to break the deadlock. He added that the delay in scheduling further talks is concerning for regional stability.

Recently, India’s External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar echoed similar concerns, acknowledging progress but stressing that key issues such as patrol rights and complete de-escalation have yet to be fully addressed.

As both countries maintain a strong military presence along the Line of Actual Control (LAC), the implications of this delay could have significant consequences for regional security. Below is a timeline of the commander-level talks held between India and China:

1st Round: June 6, 2020
2nd Round: June 22, 2020
3rd Round: June 30, 2020
4th Round: July 2020
5th Round: August 2020
6th Round: September 2020
7th Round: October 2020
8th Round: November 2020
9th Round: January 2021
10th Round: February 2021
11th Round: April 2021
12th Round: July 2021
13th Round: October 2021
14th Round: January 2022
15th Round: March 2022
16th Round: July 2022
17th Round: December 2022
18th Round: April 2023
19th Round: August 2023
20th Round: October 2023
21st Round: February 2024

Both India and China are closely monitoring the situation, and the next round of high-level talks is anticipated to address the remaining issues in a decisive manner.

Aakhir Tak Editor-in-Chief

See Full Bio