Indian and Chinese armies are set to hold the sixth round of Corps Commander-level talks in the next couple of days to explore ways to ease tension in eastern Ladakh even as India further bolstered its dominance in over 20 mountain heights around the friction points near the Pangong lake, government sources said on Sunday.

According to PTI, the IAF will use the newly-inducted Rafale jets to carry out sorties in Ladakh to boost combat readiness in view of “provocative actions” by Chinese troops, including the three incidents of shots being fired in the air in the last three weeks.

A joint secretary-level officer of the Ministry of External Affairs is expected to be part of the Indian delegation during the sixth round of Corps Commander meeting, the sources said.

“It is set to take place in the next two days. There is a possibility that it may take place tomorrow (Monday) itself,” said a source.

The main focus is expected to be on the implementation of a five-point agreement reached between the two countries.

On September 10, after a meeting between External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi on the sidelines of a Shanghai Cooperation Organisation(SCO) Moscow, both sides reached the agreement to resolve the border row.

The agreement included measures like quick disengagement of troops, avoiding action that could escalate tensions, adherence to all agreements and protocols on border management and steps to restore peace along the Line of Actual Control (LAC).

According to the PTI report, the Indian Army has also strengthened its dominance in over 20 strategic mountain heights around the northern and southern banks of Pangong lake as well as in the extended general area of Chushul in the last few days even as freezing conditions are gripping the area.

The deployment of French-made Rafale jets in Ladakh came less than 10 days after they were formally inducted into the IAF.

“The Rafale jets are flying around Ladakh,” said a source without elaborating.

The IAF has also deployed Apache attack choppers as well as Chinook heavy-lift helicopters to transport troops to various forward locations in eastern Ladakh.

The sources said the Army has made elaborate arrangements to maintain the current level of troops and weapons in all forward areas in eastern Ladakh and other sensitive high-altitude sectors in the harsh winter months when the temperature drops up to minus 25 degrees Celsius.

They said the situation remained tense in both southern and northern banks of the Pangong lake areas as well as in other friction points.