Lagatar24 Desk
New Delhi: In a significant diplomatic achievement, India and China have reached an agreement on patrolling arrangements along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Ladakh, potentially leading to disengagement and the resolution of border tensions that have persisted since May 2020, according to Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri. This breakthrough comes ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Russia for the BRICS summit.
The agreement reportedly pertains to patrolling in the sensitive areas of Depsang and Demchok, news agency PTI reported. This diplomatic progress is viewed as a major step toward restoring peace and tranquillity in the border areas between the two nations.
Foreign Secretary Misri confirmed that several rounds of talks between diplomatic and military negotiators have taken place over the past few weeks, resulting in the consensus on patrolling along the LAC. “These talks have resulted in an agreement on patrolling arrangements along the Line of Actual Control in the India-China border areas, leading to disengagement and a resolution of the issues that had arisen in these areas in 2020,” Misri said.
While an official announcement on the bilateral meeting between PM Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping is yet to be made, it is anticipated that the two leaders may hold discussions on the sidelines of the BRICS summit, which includes Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa. The restoration of normalcy in bilateral relations is seen as a critical outcome of resolving the border issues.
Earlier this year, Indian Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi emphasized the importance of addressing the remaining areas of contention along the LAC. “The low-hanging fruits have been resolved, and now we need to address the difficult situations,” he said, adding that there has been positive signaling from the diplomatic side, and the implementation of the agreements is now in the hands of military commanders on the ground.
Tensions between India and China escalated in 2020 when fierce clashes occurred in the Galwan Valley of eastern Ladakh, resulting in the deaths of 20 Indian soldiers and significant casualties on the Chinese side. Since then, both sides have engaged in multiple rounds of negotiations to de-escalate the situation. The disengagement process has been gradual, with some areas along the LAC seeing a return to pre-2020 positions, while others, like the Depsang plains, remain sensitive.
The recent diplomatic breakthrough is expected to set the stage for further peace and cooperation between the two neighboring nations, as they work toward resolving the remaining issues along the LAC.
