NEW DELHI: On Wednesday, the Defence Minister held talks with his Chinese counterpart, Dong Jun, in Vientiane, Laos, during the 11th ASEAN Defence Ministers Meeting-Plus (ADMM Plus). This meeting follows a recent agreement between India and China to resolve the border standoff by repositioning their troops along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) to where they were before 2020, the year of a severe clash in Galwan.
In a post on ‘X’, Minister Rajnath Singh described the dialogue with Admiral Dong as “extremely productive.” He stated, “We agreed to collaborate on a roadmap for rebuilding mutual trust and understanding.” During the meeting, Singh emphasized the importance of prioritizing cooperation over conflict.
The ministry noted that he pointed out that friendly relations between the two largest nations would positively impact global peace and prosperity. He mentioned that since both countries will continue to be neighbors, it is essential to focus on cooperation rather than conflict. Singh also urged both sides to reflect on the lessons learned from the unfortunate clashes of 2020 and to take steps to prevent future incidents, thereby ensuring peace and stability along the India-China border.
The statement highlighted his hopes for increased trust and confidence through de-escalation efforts. Earlier, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had discussions with Chinese President Xi Jinping on October 23 during the Brics summit. The meeting between Singh and Dong Jun is significant as it is expected to address the next steps in the peacebuilding process along the Line of Actual Control. Before departing Delhi, Singh mentioned, “I’m heading to Vientiane to participate in the 11th ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting Plus (ADMM Plus) in Lao PDR, where various regional and international security issues will be addressed, alongside separate bilateral meetings with my counterparts.”
Last week, the Indian and Chinese armies agreed to conduct coordinated patrols weekly in the Demchok and Depsang regions along the LAC in Eastern Ladakh, successfully completing the first round of joint patrols in early November after disengagement in these areas. As per the agreement, each side will carry out one patrol per week, alternating between the two areas, which aims to bolster de-escalation efforts and confidence-building between the nations. This agreement follows multiple rounds of negotiations across political, diplomatic, and military channels, with ongoing ground-level discussions to maintain stability in the situation.
