Tenzin Nyidon
DHARAMSHALA, Oct. 21: India and China have reached an agreement on new patrolling arrangements to ease tensions in the Ladakh region along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) at the Indo-Tibet border, confirmed India’s Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri on Monday.
“As a result of the discussions that have taken place over the last several weeks an agreement has been arrived at on patrolling arrangements along the line of actual control in the India-China border area and this is leading to dis-engagement and eventually a resolution of the issues that had arisen in these areas in 2020,” Misri remarked during a press briefing.
The announcement comes ahead of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Kazan, Russia, for the 16th BRICS Summit, comprising Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa. However, it remains unclear whether Modi will hold a bilateral meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping on the side lines of the summit. Misri also refrained from sharing specifics about the disengagement process, including whether it would cover all conflict zones along the disputed border.
Diplomatic and military leaders from both countries have engaged in numerous rounds of talks over the past four years, with limited success. In August, India and China held discussions to address the ongoing situation along the LAC, emphasising the need to maintain peace and stability. Efforts to resolve the border standoff have included several rounds of corps commander-level talks. Although progress has been slow, a notable development occurred in September 2022, when both sides began disengagement at Patrolling Point-15 in the Gogra-Hot Springs area of Eastern Ladakh, a critical move towards de-escalation.
The India-China border tensions, particularly along the LAC at the Indo-Tibetan border, have a deep-rooted history of disputes and skirmishes. One of the most brutal clashes occurred in June 2020, when a deadly confrontation in the Galwan Valley resulted in the deaths of 20 Indian soldiers and at least four Chinese troops. In the aftermath, both nations deployed nearly 60,000 troops to the region.
