The Indian and Chinese troops are set to complete disengagement at Depsang and Demchok by October 28-29, with patrolling operations expected to resume from October 30-31, according to Army sources. As part of the agreement, troops from both nations will return to positions held prior to April 2020, dismantling temporary infrastructure such as sheds and tents.
This disengagement applies only to the Depsang and Demchok sectors and excludes other areas of friction. Following the disengagement, each side will resume patrolling the areas as before April 2020, with regular ground commander meetings scheduled for sustained coordination. The sources also clarified that patrolling will be carried out in the traditional areas where both sides have had access.
Moreover, sources added that both sides will monitor and surveillance the area, with procedures in place to notify each other before stepping out on patrol to prevent miscommunication.
Meanwhile, Northern Army Commander Lt. General M.V. Suchindra Kumar confirmed that the disengagement process is underway following the diplomatic and military level negotiations between India and China that were reached earlier this week. He said, “As a result of these discussions, an agreement has been reached on patrolling arrangements along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in India-China border areas, leading to disengagement and resolution of issues that arose in these areas in 2020.”
While Lt. General Kumar did not provide additional details, sources confirmed that the agreement outlines new patrolling protocols along the LAC, marking a significant step toward stabilization in these sensitive sectors.
Earlier this week, Indian and Chinese negotiators reached an agreement on new “patrolling arrangements” along the Line of Actual Control (LAC), paving the way for disengagement and resolution of issues that had emerged in these areas in 2020, according to an official statement from Ministry of External Affairs. This announcement on Monday was followed by a bilateral meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping on Wednesday, held on the sidelines of the BRICS Leaders’ Summit in Kazan, Russia.
Team BharatShakti
