A day after India announced an agreement with China on patrolling the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh, Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi said, “We are trying to restore the trust” between the two countries. Speaking at an interactive session following a lecture hosted by defence think-tank, United Service Institution of India (USI), Gen Dwivedi stressed that both sides need to “reassure each other” to rebuild confidence and work towards lasting stability.
“As of now, we are focused on restoring trust. How will that happen? Trust can only be rebuilt if both sides can reassure and convince each other that we are adhering to the agreements, particularly regarding the buffer zones that have been created. Both nations need to ensure there is no creeping advancement. Patrolling provides a mechanism for that reassurance, and this process is already underway. As trust is restored, other steps in the de-escalation process will follow,” the Army Chief noted.
Outlining the roadmap for the LAC, the Army Chief stated, “Our goal is to return to the status quo of April 2020. Following that, we will focus on disengagement, de-escalation, and the normal management of the LAC. It’s important to note that normal management will not be a one-time effort; it involves several phases. This has been our position since April 2020, when Lt Gen YK Joshi was the Army Commander, and it remains unchanged today.”
The Indian government has announced that both countries have reached an agreement on patrolling along the Line of Actual Control (LAC), paving the way for disengagement and resolving the tensions that emerged during the 2020 standoff.
China has also confirmed today that it has reached an agreement with India to end the prolonged military standoff between their forces in eastern Ladakh. In response to queries regarding the reported understanding of border patrols in the disputed region, a Spokesperson for the Chinese Foreign Ministry, Lin Jian, acknowledged significant progress.
“China and India have maintained close communication through both diplomatic and military channels concerning border-related matters. At present, both sides have reached a solution on key issues, which China regards positively,” Lin said. He added that in the next phase, China will collaborate with India to ensure the effective implementation of the agreement.
This development came a day before the BRICS summit in Russia’s Kazan kicks off, where a meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Xi Jinping is anticipated on Wednesday.
This diplomatic breakthrough is seen as a positive step towards easing tensions in the sensitive region, where both nations have been engaged in a standoff since 2020.
Ravi Shankar
