What happened?
On 10 October, the 13th round of the India-China Corps Commander Level Meeting was held at the Chushul-Moldo point. The delegation from the Indian side was led by 14 corp commander Lt-General PGK Menon and South Xinjiang Military District chief of staff Major General Zhao Zhidan. During the meeting, the discussion focused on resolving the friction points relating to Depsang Bulge and Charding Nullah Junction. 

On 11 October, the Ministry of External Affairs said that the Indian side making "constructive suggestions" for settling the remaining areas. The statement said: the Chinese side "was not agreeable and also could not provide any forward-looking proposals. The meeting thus did not result in resolution of the remaining areas." Further, the Indian side pointed out that the situation along the LAC had been caused by "unilateral attempts of Chinese side to alter the status quo and in violation of the bilateral agreements. Hence it is necessary that "the Chinese side take appropriate steps in the remaining areas so as to restore peace and tranquility along the LAC in the Western Sector."

What is the background?
First, the lack of consensus. Contrary to the 12th round of Corps commander-level talks held in August 2021, there was no joint press release after the conclusion of the 13th round of meeting. After the 13th round of meeting, China was the first to release a statement about the meeting. China accused India of "persisting unreasonable and unrealistic demands which added difficulties to the negotiations." In addition, the spokesperson for the Western Theater Command of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) said "instead of misjudging the situation, the Indian side should cherish the hard-won situation in China-India border areas". In an editorial in the Global Times, titled "India's unreasonable demands in 13th military talks' risk new conflict'", the authors blame India for the deadlock in the talks. The Indian side released the statement only on 11 October 2021. 

Second, the factors for the disagreement. The deadlock in the talks can also be attributed to the two recent face-offs; one near Yangtse in the Tawang sector of Arunachal Pradesh and the second, on 30 August 2021, around 100 Chinese troops transgressed the LAC in the Barahoti sector in Uttarakhand.

Third, aggravating bilateral relations post-meeting. China has objected to the recent visit of the Indian Vice-President to Arunachal Pradesh, the spokesperson of the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs said: "so-called Arunachal Pradesh established unilaterally and illegally by the Indian side and is firmly opposed to the Indian leader's visit to the area concerned". 

What does this mean?
The response from China indicates that they are unwilling to go beyond the disengagement achieved in the Pangong Tso-Kailash region in February and at PP-17A near the Gogra post in early August. However, this does not mean that there is a deadlock. The two sides have agreed to maintain communications as well as stability along the LAC.

The recent developments at the border have given an indication that the progress at the border level talks is not positive. It also means that the Indian soldiers will have to be stationed in those disputed places in adverse conditions for the second successive year due to the stalemate. Thus, unlike the previous round of talks, the difference of opinion vis-à-vis the resolution of LAC has become perceptible.