Indian, Chinese troops hold border meet near Tawang

Amidst reports of tension on Sino-India border in North Sikkim, Army border personnel of the two countries held a meeting at the famous Bum La pass in Arunachal Pradesh to maintain tranquility on the frontier.

Senior officers from both the armies met "in an atmosphere of cordiality" to discuss "functional issues," a Defence Ministry spokesman said on Monday.

The meeting, which took place on Friday in the strategic Tawang valley, was the first face-to-face interaction between the two armies in the wake of a stand-off between the forces in 'finger point' in North Sikkim.

"At the interaction, both delegations reaffirmed their resolve to maintain peace and tranquility along the border," the Defence Ministry said.

The border post meetings have become a regular feature after recent confidence-building measures announced by the two countries and are held every year in the month of May.

At the meeting, the Indian commander conveyed New Delhi's heartfelt grief on the loss of lives and devastation caused by an earthquake in nearby Sichuan province.