India-China Border Row: Disengagement Begins In Demchok, Depsang Of Eastern Ladakh

The disengagement of Indian and Chinese troops has begun in Demchok and Depsang Plains, Eastern Ladakh.

File photo of Indian Army personnel during a demonstration in Ladakh (Representative image)

Source : PTI

The disengagement of troops of India and China has started at two friction points in Demchok and Depsang Plains in the Eastern Ladakh sector. As per the agreements between the two sides, the Indian troops have started pulling back equipment to rear locations in the respective areas, Defence officials were quoted as saying by news agency ANI.

Earlier this week, India and China reached an agreement to end the standoff between the two armies in eastern Ladakh. "Over a recent period, China and India have been in close communication through diplomatic and military channels on issues related to the China-India border," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said during a media briefing in Beijing.

The historic move between India and China in the Eastern Ladakh sector of the Line of Actual Control (LAC) saw the resolution after four long years. The Indian Army will now patrol certain areas that it used to before the face-off began.

The India-China border standoff began in April-May 2020 when Chinese soldiers advanced into Eastern Ladakh, which created a faceoff situation. The standoff took a grave turn and became the first moment of bloodshed on the line of actual control since 1975. On the intervening night of June 15-16, 2020, Indian PLA soldiers fought in the Galwan Valley, during which 20 Indian soldiers died. Chinese soldiers also suffered losses in combat.

So far disengagement has been carried out at five friction points, namely: the Galwan Valley, the northern bank of Pangong Tso, the Kailash Range, Gogra PP 17A and PP15 located in the Gogra hot springs area with buffer or demilitarised zones created. Both Indian Army and PLA forces were prohibited from conducting patrol operations in these demilitarised zones.

As a result, India had not been able to patrol certain regions, which she patrolled before May 2020. This change in the status quo is one India has sought to restore.

(This is a developing story and will be updated.)