The 11th round of India-China military-level talks will take place on April 9 in which issues like friction at Gogra-Hot Springs, restoring the pre-April 2020 status quo ante, long-standing patrolling issues at Depsang Bulge due to friction in the area during the 2013 stand-off with the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) are likely to be discussed, a Hindustan Times report said referring sources.

According to the report, the PLA is yet to confirm its presence in the meeting.

The status quo on both sides of Pangong Tso has been restored to the pre-April 2020 positions but some Chinese soldiers continue to be present in the Gogra-Hot Springs area.

Indian and Chinese sides last met on February 20. The meeting continued for 16 hours and both the parties concluded that Pangong Tso disengagement offered them a "good basis" to resolve all outstanding issues at friction points in  “a steady and orderly” manner.

The 11th round of talks comes at a time when Beijing has expressed concern over  the QUAD security dialogue.

On March 12, QUAD grouping - the United States, India, Japan and Australia - held their first summit to address China's growing clout in the Indo-Pacific region.

The meeting of US-China officials ended on a bitter note on Mach 18, reflecting that the revival of the bilateral relations of the two countries is unlikely despite the change in the White House.

Post the QUAD summit, China took a strong exception to this observation and alleged that the grouping was not only exaggerating "China threat" but also creating a rift between the countries in the region and inducing discord.

Beijing critiqued QUAD as a grouping formed to counter the increasing influence and muscle-flexing in the South China Sea and the Indo-Pacific region.

China's worries have increased as France and the United Kingdom are making attempts to expand their footprint in the South China Sea with India playing the central role in the region.

 Currently, France-plus QUAD countries are holding exercises in the Bay of Bengal. A trilateral naval exercise is scheduled later this month along with the French nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, Indian and the United Arab Emirates navies in the strategic Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman.

The HT report said the Indian Army is prepared for a long haul at the friction points and is closely monitoring the entire 3488 km LAC as most clashes with PLA take place in April and May during exercises in Tibet and Xinjiang by the Western Theatre Command based in Chengdu.

(IBNS)