Disengagement Reaches Final Stages in Ladakh

New Delhi: The disengagement between the Indian and Chinese armies in the Depsang and Demchok flashpoints in Ladakh at the Line of Actual Control is now in the final stages.

”It is almost done but not fully yet,” Indian Army sources said. The coordinated patrolling by Indian and Chinese troops will start there in a day or two after the disengagement at Depsang and Demchok is complete.

The two sides started the process of dismantling the semi-permanent structures and tents at the two areas from last Wednesday. Last week, the Army had said that the target was to dismantle all the structures and tents and move back the

troops by October 28-29.

The verification process is also going on simultaneously. “It is not that after they dismantle all structures that the verification will start. It is going on simultaneously,” said the sources. The local commanders are also holding flag meetings to coordinate things on the ground.

Demchok and Depsang Plains were the last two remaining flashpoints in Ladakh on which an agreement was reached between the two countries last week.

The agreement between India and China reached last week is only for Demchok and Depsang Plains, where Chinese troops were blocking Indian patrols from going upto India's perceived line. There is no change in the buffer zones, which were created in Pangong Tso, Galwan and Gogra-Hot Springs in Ladakh as per earlier agreements reached to end the stand-off at these places.

Patrolling is not allowed in the buffer zones in these areas by either Indian or Chinese soldiers. However, sources said that talks are going on about the buffer zones and other areas, including in Arunachal. In Arunachal Pradesh, China wants to patrol the Yangtse area of Tawang, which is dominated by Indian troops. In December 2022, Indian and Chinese troops had clashed in the Yangtse area. The post in this area is at 17,000 feet and overlooks the Chinese position, giving the Indian side an advantage. The area had seen a two and a half month face-off between Indian and Chinese during the Kargil war in 1999.

The Chinese side has been raising the issue to remove the post from many years now during flag officers’ meetings.

“It was the 14 Corps commander who signed the agreement with the Chinese PLA commander on resolving the Depsang and Demchok flashpoints in Ladakh last week. The 14 Corps commander can't sign an agreement on Arunachal,” said the sources, when asked if India also reached an understanding with China on Arunachal last week.