The location of the two other India-China border meeting points is yet to be announced
Border Personnel Meeting (BPM) in Chushul Sector in Eastern Ladakh. File | Photo credit: PTI
India and China are yet to announce the location of two more Border Personnel Meeting (BPM) points along the Line of Actual Control (LAC). However, government sources said at least two rounds of meetings between local commanders of the two countries have been held at Kepang La in Upper Siang district of Arunachal Pradesh over the past year.
According to the eight-point outcome document released by the two countries on August 26 after the 25th round of talks between the Special Representatives (SRs) on the border issue, India and China also agreed to create two more meetings to hold meetings at the general or supreme military commander level.
India was represented at the talks by National Security Adviser (NSA) Ajit Doval, China was represented by Wang Yi, a member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and director of the Office of the Central Commission for Foreign Affairs.
There are currently five BPMs in the western and eastern sectors – Daulat Beg Oldie and Chushul in Ladakh, Nathu La in Sikkim and Kibithu and Bum La in Arunachal Pradesh.
According to a 2019 Department of Defense statement, the BPM mechanism has evolved into an important interface where local issues are discussed and resolved, thereby enhancing trust between Border Guard units. “This ensures the prevalence of peace and tranquility along the LAC (Line of Actual Control).”
A government source said that a year ago, the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) proposed that Kepang La in Tuting be declared a mutually agreed meeting place for flag meetings and other high-level interactions.
The source said Kepang La is a place of religious significance for people on both sides of the undefined border and local residents are allowed to visit the Chorten, a Buddhist holy site. Kepang La Pass was used by Chinese troops to enter India during the 1962 war in which at least 11 Indian soldiers were killed.
“A proposal from Chinese commanders to appoint Kepang La as BPM was made last year. However, a final decision has not yet been taken,” the source said. India and China share a 3,488 km long land border from Ladakh to Arunachal Pradesh, parts of which remain undefined.
Recently, a commission of inquiry formed by the People’s Party of Arunachal Pradesh (PPA) blamed Chinese incursions in the Taksing area of Upper Subansiri district, terming them as “gradual, sustained and well calculated”, while pointing out gaps in year-round Indian patrolling along the LAC.
While the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) is the primary force responsible for guarding the Indo-China border, operational responsibilities in most disputed areas are determined by the military. Army sources denied the allegations.
The committee, headed by former minister and PPA chief adviser Kahfa Bengia, visited Taksing on July 10 and held talks with residents of Taksing, Maza and Galemo, as well as army personnel stationed in the region. In its report, the committee cited local accounts which claimed that Shera-5 Point, an Indian patrol post, remained inaccessible to Indian troops since the 2023 confrontation between Arunachal Scouts and the PLA.
According to the report, Indian troops withdrew from the site after the incident, while PLA personnel reportedly returned to dismantle signs of Indian presence and subsequently prevent Indian patrols from accessing the area. The committee also said that Nanga Pahar, traditionally used by the local Nah and Mara communities for hunting and raising yaks, had effectively become a no-go zone for residents, which it claimed had aided the Chinese advance on the Indian side.
The panel identified seasonal patrolling as a key vulnerability, noting that Indian patrols are largely limited to April-October due to harsh winter conditions, while PLA activities reportedly continue throughout the year. She urged stronger and more permanent border surveillance to prevent repeated incursions.
Published – 29 Aug 2026 22:55 IST