In a massive breakthrough with global strategic implications, India and China have demonstrated that their differences are not insurmountable, as both nations have successfully resolved the final points of contention at Depsang and Demchok in eastern Ladakh. These are areas where the problems are called legacy issues, predating the 2020 Chinese incursions. This development marks the first significant progress since September 2022, when troops from both sides disengaged at Patrolling Point 15 in Eastern Ladakh.
External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar on Monday confirmed that a new ‘patrolling arrangement’ has been worked out for troops along the Line of Actual Control (LAC), with disengagement restoring the situation to its 2020 status. However, he cautioned, “This has just happened; there will be further meetings to determine the next steps. I wouldn’t jump ahead too quickly.”
Both sides have agreed to resume patrolling in the Depsang Plains in northern Ladakh and Demchok in the south, up to the established patrolling points along the LAC. This will allow Indian troops to patrol up to points (PP) 10 to 13 in Depsang and the Charding Nullah area in Demchok, as per a Defence Ministry source. Furthermore, mutual agreements have also been reached for the eastern sector, especially in the sensitive regions of Arunachal Pradesh, with further discussions on other eastern sectors will follow soon.
However, the source emphasized that the most critical aspect remains China’s agreement to the long and complex process of de-escalation and de-induction of forward-deployed troops – steps essential for restoring the pre-April 2020 status quo.
The new patrolling agreement effectively means that Chinese troops will no longer actively block Indian soldiers at the ‘Bottleneck’ area in the strategically important Depsang Plains, which lies about 18 km inside territory India claims as its own, and vice versa, according to a source. “Both sides will relocate the temporary positions and posts they had established. A similar disengagement will also take place at the Charding Ninglung Nallah track junction near Demchok in the south,” the source added.
There is still no clear indication as to whether the proposed pullback from the standoff will fully restore Indian troops’ “complete access” to their traditional patrolling points (PPs) 10, 11, 11A, 12, and 13 in Depsang, near the critical Daulat Beg Oldie and Karakoram Pass. With both nations maintaining overlapping territorial claims in the area, sources noted that patrolling will continue “in all areas,” with a planned frequency of twice a month. Sources indicate that patrolling will be well-coordinated between the two sides, with regular communication to keep each other informed.
China claims approximately 972 square kilometres of territory in the Depsang region, which is near its crucial Western Highway G-219, which connects Tibet to Xinjiang.
The agreement regarding the Depsang Plains and Charding Nullah in Demchok is most significant, especially given that, until a year ago, the Chinese side was reluctant even to discuss these areas while agreeing to disengagement at other friction points. There are seven identified friction points in eastern Ladakh where Indian and Chinese troops have clashed since May 2020. These include PP 14 (Galwan), PP 15 (Hot Springs), PP 17A (Gogra), as well as the north and south banks of Pangong Tso, in addition to the Depsang Plains – where Chinese forces had previously restricted Indian access to the patrolling points – and Charding Nullah.
The Depsang Plains hold strategic significance not only because they are located 30 km southeast of the crucial Daulat Beg Oldie post near the Karakoram Pass but also due to their unique geographic features. Nestled within mountainous terrain, the plains provide a flat surface for either country to launch a military offensive.
The two armies had established no-patrol buffer zones ranging from 3 km to 10 km, primarily on the Indian side of the LAC, following troop disengagements at Galwan, the north bank of Pangong Tso, the Kailash Range, and the larger Gogra-Hot Springs area, with the most recent disengagement occurring in September 2022. Although intended as temporary arrangements, these buffer zones, coupled with the confrontations at Depsang and Demchok, have restricted Indian troops from accessing 26 of their 65 patrolling points (PPs) in eastern Ladakh, which extend from the Karakoram Pass in the north to Chumar in the south.
While there is now an agreement on patrolling rights in the Depsang Plains and Demchok, sources indicate that the situation at other friction points—such as those in the Galwan Valley and Pangong Tso, where troop disengagement occurred two years ago alongside the establishment of buffer zones – will remain unchanged.
Ravi Shankar
