An Army vehicle moves towards LAC in eastern Ladakh

There are no signs of easing of tensions between India and China in Ladakh even after the eighth round of top military level talks held on November 6, and the enhanced troop deployment from both sides on the frontline is expected to continue during the harsh winter.

Temperatures have already dropped to minus 20 at some of the hilltops amid the standoff in Ladakh, which has been continuing for more than six months.

In another joint statement it was said that the two sides had a candid, in-depth and constructive exchange of views on disengagement along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in the Western Sector of India-China border areas.

"Both sides agreed to earnestly implement the important consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries, ensure their frontline troops to exercise restraint and avoid misunderstanding and miscalculation," it said.

With no de-escalation in sight, the focus of the talks to ensure the lines of communication remains open and there is no further escalation or violence.

"Both sides agreed to maintain dialogue and communication through military and diplomatic channels, taking forward the discussions at this meeting, and pushing for the settlement of other outstanding issues, so as to jointly maintain peace and tranquillity in the border areas," it said.

India's stand is that there should be a complete de-escalation and not in a few selected places as suggested by China earlier, sources said.

This is what is resulting in a deadlock as there is little consensus on complete pull back. "We want complete de-escalation. Reduction of troops from some areas and de-induction of weapons is not a viable option and is not what we have proposed," said an official.

India's Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat had said on the day the corps commander-level meet took place in LAC that "it is not acceptable to India and that the situation can spiral into a larger conflict".

The standoff in Ladakh started early May and the deadlock has continued for six months now. Things escalated when in a violent clash 20 Indian Army personnel were killed, and China also lost its soldiers. However, the casualties on the Chinese side have not been made public yet. In early September, there were reports of gunshots fired in the air one more than one instance. Since then things remain tense but there has been no violence reported.

It was also agreed to have another round of meetings soon.