The disengagement process between Indian and Chinese troops in Depang and Demchok areas of eastern Ladakh is almost complete. Defense sources told Aaj Tak that both the Indian Army and the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) are currently confirming the withdrawal of personnel and dismantling of military infrastructure in sensitive areas along the Line of Actual Control ( LAC).
The verification process will be carried out jointly between both armies, which will include confirming that positions have been evacuated and facilities removed according to agreed terms. Sources said: “We are currently working on the basis of trust.”
There has been no discussion yet on the four buffer zones, including the Galwan zone. Sources said discussions at the Corps Commander level will decide on the possibility of resuming patrols in the buffer zone after the successful commencement of patrols in Demchok and Depsang areas.
Local military commanders from both countries hold daily hotline conversations each morning to coordinate planned operations for the day. Additionally, they hold one-on-one meetings at a designated point once or twice a day to review and align protocols.
Let us inform you that this development came after External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar on October 27 said that India and China will soon resume patrols along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Ladakh, before that the border confrontation began in April 2020. It will restore order.
Last week, India announced that it had signed an agreement with China to patrol the LAC in eastern Ladakh, a major step towards ending the four-year military standoff in the region. Speaking to reporters in Mumbai, Jaishankar said an agreement had been reached on patrolling and disengagement in Depsang and Demchok.
He had said: “It is clear that it will take time to implement. It is a matter of disengagement and patrolling, which meant that our forces had gotten very close to each other and have now returned to their bases.” The situation will be restored in 2020.”
However, the Foreign Minister later said that the successful agreement with China on patrolling on the LAC does not mean that the problems between the two countries have been resolved.
Jaishankar had said at an event in Pune: “The last step (to withdraw troops) was the agreement reached on October 21 under which patrolling will be carried out in Depsang and Demchok. With this, we can now think about the next step. “It’s not that everything is resolved, but the first phase of troop withdrawal is there and we have managed to reach that stage.”
