75% of the “disengagement issues” with China have been “sorted out” : MEA Jaishanakar

Two weeks after Indian and Chinese diplomats indicated progress in negotiations to resolve the military standoff along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar stated on Thursday that around 75% of the “disengagement issues” with China have been “sorted out.” However, he noted that the “bigger issue” is the increasing militarisation of the border.

This is the first time Jaishankar has quantified the progress in talks, which have been ongoing for four years and stalled for the past two. Hours after his comments in Geneva, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval met with Wang Yi, a senior Chinese official, on the sidelines of the BRICS National Security Advisors’ meeting in St. Petersburg, Russia.

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said the meeting provided an opportunity to review recent efforts to resolve the remaining issues along the LAC. Both sides agreed to intensify efforts to achieve full disengagement and reiterated that peace and stability along the border are essential for normal bilateral relations.

The call for urgency and the agreement to redouble efforts reflect a desire to expedite the disengagement process. The upcoming BRICS summit in October, expected to be attended by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping, adds further significance to these discussions.

Earlier, while speaking in Geneva, Jaishankar mentioned that negotiations were ongoing and that approximately 75% of the disengagement challenges had been resolved. However, he highlighted the broader issue of the increasing militarisation of the border. These comments and Doval’s meeting followed diplomatic talks held in Beijing on August 29, where both sides had a “frank, constructive, and forward-looking” exchange of views aimed at resolving the remaining issues.