China Claims Troops Disengaged Along LAC; India Disagrees Saying "Process Not Complete Yet"

There has been some progress made towards this objective but the disengagement process has as yet not been completed, says MEA spokesperson.

Photo: File/AFP

Refuting the claims made by Chinese side which said that border troops of both countries have disengaged in most localities and that China was not a strategic threat, India said that even though some progress had been made, the disengagement process had not been completed yet.  Speaking at the weekly media briefing on Thursday, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Anurag Srivastava said "There has been some progress made towards this objective but the disengagement process has as yet not been completed. " These remarks came after the Chinese envoy Sun Weidong while peaking at a webinar on `India-China Relations: The Way Forward' on Thursday said that border troops have disengaged in "most localities" along the Line of Actual Control (LAC), the situation on the ground is de-escalating and the "temperature is coming down". He added that the two neighbours have deepened exchanges and cooperation in various fields, and that the coordination in international and regional affairs has been continuously enhanced. However, the Indian side in its perspective over disengagement developments between the two Asian nuclear-powers said that the two sides have reviewed the situation in the India-China border areas along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in the Western sector. Both India and China agreed that early and complete disengagement of the troops along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) and de-escalation from India-China border areas in accordance with bilateral agreement and protocols and full restoration of peace and tranquility was essential for smooth overall development of bilateral relations. "This was also the agreement reached between the two Special Representatives, NSA and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, in their conversation on 5th July," the Spokesperson Anurag said. "The maintenance of peace and tranquility in the border areas is the basis of our bilateral relationship. Therefore, we expect that the Chinese side will sincerely work with us for complete disengagement and de-escalation and full restoration of peace and tranquility in the border areas at the earliest as agreed to by the Special Representatives," Srivastava added. As per the inputs, the Senior Commanders of the two sides will be meeting in the near future to work out steps in this regard. ALSO WATCH | The thunder that made China, Pakistan shiver