India and China Maintaining Close Communication on Next Round of Military Talks, Says MEA

India and China have agreed to hold the next round of senior commander-level meeting soon and both sides are maintaining close communication over diplomatic and military channels on it, the Ministry of External Affairs said on Friday. Indian and Chinese troops have been locked in a bitter border standoff in eastern Ladakh for over eight months as multiple rounds of diplomatic and military talks have not yet produced any major breakthrough.

"Both sides have agreed to hold the next round of the senior commander level meeting soon and we are in close communication over diplomatic and military channels in this regard," Spokesperson in the ministry Anurag Srivastava said. He was replying to a question on the next round of military talks at a media briefing.

The eighth and last round of military talks between the two sides had taken place on November 6 during which both sides broadly discussed disengagement of troops from specific friction points. India has all along been maintaining that the onus is on China to carry forward the process of disengagement and de-escalation at the friction points in the mountainous region.