New Delhi: A third round of talks will be held between commanders of the Indian and Chinese armies tomorrow -- two weeks after the clash at Ladakh's Galwan Valley in which 20 soldiers were killed in action -- government sources have said. The Lieutenant-General-level talks will be focussed on reducing tension at the Line of Actual Control – the de facto border between India and China.
In the last round of talks on June 22 at Moldo, which is on the Chinese side of the Line of Actual Control -- the commanders had agreed to step back from the confrontation along a disputed stretch of border.
Sources said the meeting will take forward the agreement to disengage made at the last meeting.
The first round of talks between Lieutenant General-rank officers was held in Moldo on June 6, days after the scuffle between the two sides near Pangong Lake following weeks of face-off.
At the meeting, the commanders of both sides had agreed to pull back troops and disengagement had started on both sides.
But on June 15, violence broke out at Galwan Valley after the Chinese soldiers refused to remove a tent -- in violation of the decision made at the June 6 meeting -- in which 20 Indian soldiers, including a commander, were killed in the line of duty and more than 70 soldiers were injured.
The Army believes that the Chinese suffered 45 casualties -- Chinese military leaders are believed to have conveyed to their Indian counterparts information about the loss of a Chinese Colonel.
The two sides had used nail-studded sticks, stones and rods, in accordance with the no-firearms policy at the LAC.
India has now decided to change the rules of engagement. India's top defence establishment has empowered Field commanders to sanction use of firearms in ''extraordinary'' circumstances.