Rajnath for de-escalation, border demarcation road map

Eight months after the disengagement of troops at the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has told his Chinese counterpart Admiral Dong Jun that there is need for a "structured roadmap of permanent engagement and de-escalation".

- AMRITA NAYAK DUTTA & SHUBHAJIT ROY

He called for a "permanent solution of border demarcation".

In his talks Thursday with Dong on the sidelines of the meeting of Defence Ministers of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) in Qingdao, Singh underlined the need for "bridging the trust deficit created after the 2020 border standoff, by taking action on ground".

The Ministry of Defence, in a statement Friday, said Singh and Dong agreed to continue consultations at various levels to achieve progress on issues related to "disengagement, de-escalation, border management and eventual de-limitation through existing mechanisms".

Even after the disengagement along the LAC in eastern Ladakh, de-escalation has not happened. An estimated 50,000-60,000 troops are still stationed on either side of the LAC in the region.

The mention of a "structured roadmap" for permanent engagement and de-escalation is a new formulation - both sides have been working towards normalising their relationship after the bitter military standoff.