Two-day talks with China will not deal with boundary issues: MEA

After three incidents of Chinese incursions over the past five days along the India-China border, joint secretaries of India and China are taking part in a two-day meeting of the Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination on India-China Border Affairs to discuss issues.

External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Syed Akbaruddin told reporters here today that the talks would not deal with boundary issues.

The last meeting of this nature was held in November 2012, making the current one the first such meeting since the 21-day standoff in April 2013 in the Depsang Valley near the Line of Actual Control in Ladakh. Additionally, three incidents of Chinese intrusion into Indian territory were reported last week.

Akbaruddin explained, "I would like to clarify that this meeting will not deal with boundary issues. Those issues are handled by special representatives on both sides. Also the meeting does not discuss border defence cooperation agreement because there are separate mechanisms to deal with it."

The Indo-China relationship has been extremely tense and a matter of worry in the past week after multiple Chinese intrusions into India. The Government of India, last week, approved a 40,000-strong Mountain Strike Corps along the Indo-China border which would boost the Indian Army's capabilities in the area.

Earlier according to reports, Chinese troops had crossed the Line of Actual Control on July 16, 18 and 20. On each of the occasions, the soldiers intruded approximately three kilometers into Indian territory before returning.

Chumar, located about 300km from Leh, has been an area of major differences in perception on both sides over what the Line of Actual Control is.