India, China agree to reduce tensions

China and India have reached at a consensus  to reduce tensions a week after clashes on their disputed Himalayan border left 20 Indian soldiers dead in brutal hand-to-hand fighting.

Both sides reached the consensus following the talks between the top regional military commanders held on Monday (June 22).

Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said both sides "agreed to take necessary measures to promote a cooling of the situation".

"The holding of this meeting shows that both sides want to deal with their disagreement, manage the situation and de-escalate the situation through dialogue and consultations," Zhao told a news conference on Tuesday (June 23).

The two sides "exchanged frank and in-depth views" and "agreed to maintain dialogue and jointly committed to promoting peace and tranquillity in the border areas", Zhao added.

Indian and Chinese troops have been engaged in a standoff since early May at several points in the Galwan Valley, a disputed Himalayan area along the 3,500-km (2,200-mile) Line of Actual Control (LAC), the de facto border between the world's two most populous countries, most of which remains undemarcated.

Sources in the Indian army, said the two nations held hours-long talks on Monday and reached at a "mutual consensus to disengage" along the LAC.

"There was mutual consensus to disengage. Modalities for disengagement from all friction areas in Eastern Ladakh were discussed and will be taken forward by both sides," said the sources.


Dhaka/AI