New Delhi: In a latest development to the India-China border standoff, both nations have started pulling back troops, armoured elements including tanks and infantry combat elements from the south and north banks of the Pangong Lake in eastern Ladakh from Wednesday, the Chinese defence ministry announced.
If the Chinese official statement is to be believed, the nine month-long stand-off between the two Asian giants has come to an end.
However, there was no official statement released from the Indian side on the claims made by the spokesperson for the Chinese Ministry of National Defence, Senior Colonel Wu Qian, and carried by China's official media.
"The Chinese and Indian frontline troops at the southern and northern bank of the Pangong Tso Lake start synchronised and organised disengagement from February 10," Wu said in a brief statement.
"This move is in accordance with the consensus reached by both sides at the 9th round of China-India Corps Commander Level Meeting," the statement added.
The militaries of both side have been engaged in a tense standoff in eastern Ladakh since early May, 2020. India and China have held several rounds of military and diplomatic-level talks to resolve the deadlock.
Last round of China-India Corps Commander-level meeting was held on January 24 at the Chinese side of the Moldo-Chushul border meeting point.
The standoff between the two Asian nations resulted in Indians threatening to boycott Chinese products. Later on accusations started floating in that the Chinese smartphone apps were stealing Indian data which led to the Central government banning over 200 Chinese mobile apps.