Indian, Chinese Officers Meet to Resolve Border Stand-off; Army Chief Discusses Situation

Indian and Chinese armies held a brigadier-level flag meeting to resolve the issue. They had held a flag meeting last week too, but it failed to break the deadlock.

Flag meetings are a mechanism to deal with emergent situations. They supplement the border personnel meetings that are held twice a year at various points along the India-China border.

Listing out steps taken by India after the incident was reported April 15, Akbaruddin said Gautam Bambawale, joint secretary (East Asia), who chairs the working mechanism for consultation and coordination on India-China border affairs, spoke to his counterpart, who is the director general border affairs of the Chinese foreign ministry.

"Subsequently on April 18, there was a flag meeting and following that on April 18 evening, the foreign secretary (Ranjan Mathai) expressed the concerns of the government of India to the ambassador of China in Delhi," he said.

"In our view, we see this as a situation of differing perception," said Akbaruddin.

Khurshid also said that India and China have set up a mechanism to resolve border issues. He also reiterated that both sides have made progress in their bilateral ties and it is not necessary to raise a question on such issues.

The minister added that India will take "necessary action" in the matter.

Defence Minister A.K. Antony had said Monday that India will take "every step" to protect its interests to resolve the situation arising out of the alleged incursion by Chinese troops into Indian territory.

Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Hua Chunying had said Monday that "China's frontier troops have been abiding by the agreement between the two countries and abiding by the LAC agreed by the two countries".

"Our frontier troops have been patrolling on the China's side of LAC," Hua had said, adding: "Our troops are patrolling on the Chinese side of the LAC and have never trespassed the line."