Chinese Troops Retreat In Galwan Nala Area, Say Sources I Here’s A Timeline Of How Tensions Evolved In Ladakh

It comes as a positive development, ahead of the first extensive talks between the Indian and Chinese military, which is scheduled for Saturday, after a month marked by skirmishes and tensions.

A roadsign displaying distances to Leh (top R), the capital of the union territory of Ladakh, is seen along the Srinagar-Leh National Highway in Sonmarg some 89 Kms of Srinagar on May 28, 2020. (Photo by TAUSEEF MUSTAFA / AFP)

New Delhi: In what can be termed as a strategic lead for India at the Line Of Actual Control (LAC) Ladakh, the Chinese troops have retreated a few hundred yards in the Galwan Nala area. Over the last three-four days, there hadn’t been an escalation by the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) troops at the different points its army has been stationed against the Indian side. The reason behind the retreat has not been known yet. "In one of the areas in the Galwan Valley, the Chinese have gone back a few hundred yards on their side of the LAC," news agency ANI quoted sources. It comes as a positive development, ahead of the first extensive talks between the Indian and Chinese military, which is scheduled for Saturday, after a month marked by skirmishes and tensions. Meanwhile, India and China are also taking up the issue of fighter flying by the Chinese Air Force in the region near Eastern Ladakh along with the air space violation by Chinese choppers. Military talks with China on Saturday; India likely to bring specific proposals The talks between the two sides will be led by lieutenant generals from both the armies. India will be represented by the general officer commanding of Leh-based 14 Corps, Lt Gen Harinder Singh. The Indian side is expected to present specific proposals at the talks to deescalate tension in Pangong Tso, Galwan Valley and Demchok -- the three areas in eastern Ladakh where the two sides have been on a bitter standoff for last one month, said a report by PTI. It is not immediately known what will be the proposals that the Indian military will take to the negotiating table but it is understood that it will insist on return to status quo in all the areas. How the tensions evolved in the region? A timeline The tensions between the two sides have been on for almost a month now in the Galwan Nala area over construction activities. April: Tensions regarding border row started to grow in late April over construction activities along the LAC. May: The situation in eastern Ladakh deteriorated after around 250 Chinese and Indian soldiers were engaged in a violent face-off in North Sikkim on the evening of May 5 which spilled over to the next day before the two sides agreed to "disengage". In the following week,  Chinese military helicopters were spotted  flying close to the Line of Actual Control, due to which India too sent IAF craft to carry out  sorties. On May 23, Army Chief General Manoj Mukund Naravane visited the headquarters of the 14 Corps based in Leh in the Union Territory (UT) of Ladakh amid growing tensions.  General Naravane's security assessment of the situation in the highly sensitive region along the Chinese border came a day after India had rejected Chinese allegation that the Indian troops crossed LAC in Ladakh and Sikkim sectors. On May 24, tensions escalated as Chinese Army increased its troops in areas around Pangon Tso and Galwan Valley. In satellite images that surfaced, it was seen that Chinese military pitched around 80 tents near the valley, bringing in heavy equipment for construction of bunkers. As many as 60 tents of Indian Army could also be seen. On May 27: United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said that the UN is keeping a close tab on the growing tensions between India and China along their borders in the Ladakh region and urged both the Asian neighbours to avoid any further escalation to heighten the already simmering situation. US President Donald Trump  offered to mediate between the two countries over what he believes to be a "now raging border dispute”, referring to the weeks long build up between Indian and Chinese troops along the LAC in Ladakh region following the recent standoff. May 28, In response to US President Donald Trump's recent offer to mediate between India and China over Ladakh border standoff, the Minister of External Affairs (MEA) on Thursday said that New Delhi was engaged with Beijing to 'peacefully resolve' the issue. June: On June 1, Beijing said that the overall situation along the China-India border is stable and controllable. June 2: There was no solution in the Major-General level talks between India and the Chinese Army. June 4: Reports of Chinese troops retreating in Galwan The troops of India and China were engaged in a 73-day stand-off in the Doklam tri-junction in 2017 which even triggered fears of a war between the two nuclear-armed neighbours. The India-China border dispute covers the 3,488-km-long LAC. China claims Arunachal Pradesh as part of southern Tibet while India contests it. Also Watch: (inputs from agencies)