In what could be seen as a major step towards de-escalation in heightened tension between India and China, both nuclear-power countries have agreed to maintain peace and tranquility at the border. During a meeting between External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi in Moscow on Thursday evening, the countries agreed on a five-point plan for resolving the ongoing border standoff along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh.

India, however, raised concerns over the massive military deployment by China in Ladakh during the bilateral meeting.

At the talks, the government sources said the Indian side conveyed to the Chinese delegation that the presence of a large concentration of the PLA troops was not in accordance with the bilateral pacts of 1993 and 1996 on border affairs, news agency PTI reported.

“The two foreign ministers agreed that the current situation in the border areas is not in the interest of either side. They agreed, therefore, that the border troops of both sides should continue their dialogue, quickly disengage, maintain proper distance and ease tensions,” a joint press statement issued by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) early on Friday stated.

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Here is the five-point plan the two ministers agreed upon, as per the statement issued by the Ministry of External Affairs:

1. The two Ministers agreed that both sides should take guidance from the series of consensus of the leaders on developing India-China relations, including not allowing differences to become disputes.

2. The two Foreign Ministers agreed that the current situation in the border areas is not in the interest of either side. They agreed therefore that the border troops of both sides should continue their dialogue, quickly disengage, maintain proper distance and ease tensions.

3. The two Ministers agreed that both sides shall abide by all the existing agreements and protocol on China-India boundary affairs, maintain peace and tranquillity in the border areas and avoid any action that could escalate matters.

4. The two sides also agreed to continue to have dialogue and communication through the Special Representative mechanism on the India-China boundary question. They also agreed in this context that the Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination on India-China border affairs (WMCC), should also continue its meetings.

5. The Ministers agreed that as the situation eases, the two sides should expedite work to conclude new Confidence Building Measures to maintain and enhance peace and tranquillity in the border areas.

The Indian Army and the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) have been locked in a tense standoff in multiple areas along the LAC in eastern Ladakh since early May. Shots were fired across the LAC on Monday for the first time in 45 years with the two sides accusing each other of firing in the air, news agency PTI reported.