New Delhi: Days after India and China reached an agreement to end the standoff between the forces of the two countries in eastern Ladakh along the Line of Actual Control (LAC), the disengagement process has begun, sources told Times Now.
Disengagement in the Ladakh sector began in a phased manner on Tuesday, with temporary structures being dismantled by both sides. While Indian soldiers moved back to the west side of the Charding Nala, the Chinese soldiers have been retreating to the east side of the Nala.
Further, some temporary tents from Depsang and Demchok, the major friction points in the border dispute, were removed by both countries.
The development comes four years after the Galwan clash. Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri on Monday said that the Indian and Chinese sides have reached an agreement. Indian and Chinese military negotiators have reached an agreement regarding patrolling arrangement along LAC, Misri said during a press conference.
"As a result of the discussions that have taken place over the last several weeks an agreement has been arrived at on patroling 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," he said.
Following Misri's announcement, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping endorsed this agreement on the margins of the BRICS Summit in Russia. They also issued directions to revive various bilateral dialogue mechanisms, signalling attempts to normalise ties that were hit by the military clash at Galwan in 2020.
For the unversed, the Galwan clash erupted on May 5, 2020, on the north bank of the Pangong Tso lake. It eventually led to a major clash on June 15 between an Indian patrol and PLA troops in Galwan Valley. The clashes also led to casualties on both sides.