Talks on for a mechanism to prevent face-offs on LAC: Antony

Negotiations are underway to have a 'more practical and effective' mechanism to prevent face-offs between Indian and Chinese troops on the LAC and efforts are being made to have confidence building measures, Defence Minister A K Antony said today.

The 'unfortunate face-offs' between Indian and Chinese armies take place due to difference in perception about the Line of Actual Control (LAC), he told reporters here after formally inducting the heavy-lift C-17 transport aircraft into the IAF at the air base here.

Antony said efforts are being made to have 'more understanding between the two militaries. Apart from diplomatic channels, we are trying to have better understanding between the militaries.'

Besides having a greater number of border personnel meetings, there are many other CBM proposals between the two armies, he said.

Some steps have already been taken and some will be taken in future while negotiations are on to have a 'more practical and effective mechanism to prevent such type of unfortunate incidents', the Minister said.

The Army, he said, is 'free' and it handles such incursion incidents effectively whenever they take place.

He was replying to questions on the incidents of face-offs between Indian and Chinese troops along the LAC and recent video footage in that regard.

'As long as border issue is unsettled, there is a possibility of both sides going to the areas of their perception of the LAC. Even though the border is uncertain, there is understanding but there are more than a dozen disputed sites along the border,' he said.