army of india and china
The process of disengagement of troops in two areas of the border between India and China is almost complete. The armies of both countries have almost eliminated temporary posts, sheds, tents and other things in Demchok and Depsang. According to an army official, it is now being verified whether the withdrawal has been completed or not. This process will be initiated by the Army. In addition to physical verification, monitoring is also done using drones. Subsequently, in the coming days, patrols will begin with mutual coordination between the two armies.
But what needs to be understood here is that the above situation in LAC will be observed only when the three D’s are completed i.e. disengagement, de-escalation and deactivation. Currently, according to the agreement between India and China, the first D is almost completed with the withdrawal of Depsang and Demchok. Retreat means the retreat of soldiers face to face. The second stage is de-escalation, which means that the soldiers, military equipment and weapons of both countries return to normal. The third D means that the third stage is deinduction.
Pending consensus on buffer zone
There are still many points of conflict in LAC. These are PP-14, PP-15, PP-17A. An agreement with China has not yet been reached here. Buffer zones in Galwan, north bank of Pangong, Kailash range and Gogra-Hot Spring area are yet to be agreed upon. Buffer zone means an area where both armies cannot engage each other. These zones separate opposing forces.
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After the withdrawal, buffer zones were created in these four locations, ranging from 3 to 10 kilometers. No one can patrol with these. Sources say that the talks are on the right track, so talks on abolishing the buffer zone and starting patrols in these areas as well may move forward.
Understand the disputed areas in eastern Ladakh between India and China:
- Galwan Valley: This area was the center of the violent confrontation between India and China in 2020.
- Pangong Tso: This lake is disputed between India and China, especially on its northern shore. Finger 4 and Finger 8. These areas are located on the northern bank of Pangong Tso. To date, no agreement has been reached between India and China.
- Gogra-Hot Springs: This area is a major patrolling point for the Indian Army.
- Area near Gogra Post: The area near Gogra Post is disputed between India and China, which is part of the Eastern Ladakh standoff. This standoff continues in the western sector of the Line of Actual Control (LAC), which is yet to be resolved.
- Kailash Range- The Kailash Range is a disputed area between India and China, located on the border of Tibet. There is a border dispute between the two countries here, so conflicts have occurred many times. This region includes Lake Manasarovar of India and the Tibet Autonomous Region of China. Both countries claim this area.
Agreement before the BRICS summit
The patrol agreement between India and China on the LAC took place before the BRICS summit held in Kazan, Russia. On October 23, a meeting was held between Prime Minister Modi and the Chinese President. Both had supported the India-China agreement on patrolling and disengagement of troops on the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh.
The two leaders had given instructions to restart various bilateral dialogue mechanisms, signaling efforts to normalize relations affected by deadly military clashes in 2020.