New Delhi: India and China have agreed to resume patrolling to the “agreed perceived Line of Actual Control,” including in Depsang Plains and Demchok, though there is unlikely to be any immediate thinning down of troops other than those pulled back in the winter as is the norm, ThePrint has learnt.
Sources in the defence and security establishment told ThePrint that resumption of patrolling along the LAC, which will come to a halt again once the winter sets in, is the first step to full-scale disengagement. They added that there would be a reduction of troops in the winter, as has been the practice over the last four years, and during this time both countries would continue to discuss complete disengagement.
Sources explained that new protocols for patrolling have been agreed upon, adding that according to the agreement reached by both sides, patrolling will be done in all areas as what it was before 2020, including in Depsang, from PP10 to PP13. It is also learnt that the frequency of patrolling will be twice a month and that the strength for this exercise has been fixed at 15 personnel to avoid clashes. Both sides have also agreed to coordinate with each other before embarking on patrolling along the LAC.
Sources added that confidence building measures will continue and talks will be held at least once each month at the level of Commanding Officers of various units and Commanders.
The decisions would also set the stage for a possible meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the BRICS meet in Russia’s Kazan later this week.
“The overall decision on proper disengagement and de-escalation will be based on decisions taken in what is expected to be a bilateral (meeting) between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping. But this is the first step towards further normalcy,” a source said.
Explaining modalities that have been worked out, sources said the main issue related to Depsang Plains has been resolved. Chinese troops will pull back to their earlier positions and not block Indian troops from the bottleneck area as they have been doing since 2020, it is learnt. They will also dismantle any defensive positions or camps set up in that area after 2020.
A few years before 2020, the Chinese were stopping Indian troops from an area called the “Y junction”, which was ahead of the bottleneck.
Asked about Demchok, another controversial area, sources said the MEA announced resumption of patrolling in all areas.
It was not immediately known if Indian troops will now patrol Charding La pass as was done before 2020.
Sources also said a tent erected by the Chinese after the standoff in 2020 had been removed.
In all other locations, where disengagement was achieved earlier and buffer zones were created–Northern banks of Pangong Tso, Galwan, Hot Springs and Gogra–patrolling would be resumed by both sides.
However, the patrolling will be done up to the “agreed perceived LAC”.
Sources said both countries have various perceptions of the LAC. However, there is an informal agreement between both sides on what the LAC would be. “The patrolling will happen on ‘agreed perceived LAC’ and would end about 200 to 300 metres short of it,” a source said.
Diplomats, Army officers negotiated at different forums
Four and a half years after tensions erupted along the border in May 2020, India Monday said it has reached an agreement with China for disengagement and resumption of patrolling.
“Over the last several weeks, Indian and Chinese diplomatic and military negotiators have been in close contact with each other in a variety of forums… as a result of these discussions, agreement has been arrived on patrolling arrangement along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) on the India-China border leading to disengagement and resolution of the issues that had risen in these areas in 2020. And, we will be taking the next step on this,” Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri told reporters.
Asked again, he said, “We have reached an agreement on issues that were being discussed.” Misri was briefing the media ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the BRICS meet in Russia.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said on 11 October that the Government of India was “cautiously optimistic” about resolution of border tensions with China.
This is an updated version of the report
(Edited by Tikli Basu)
Also read: India & China have agreed to disengage at LAC, says external affairs ministry
Oh, I am so happy to read the headline. Do not even feel the need to read the rest of the column. A growing affliction of an irascible old man.