Vikrant Shekhawat : Oct 25, 2024, 06:30 PM
India-China Border: An agreement has been reached between India and China to withdraw troops from Demchok and Depsang on the Line of Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh. Both countries have started the process of removing temporary structures like sheds and tents, and by October 28-29, troops will completely withdraw from these areas. With this, both sides will be free to return to the situation before April 2020 and patrol. This agreement will apply exclusively to the Depsang and Demchok areas and not to other disputed places.Withdrawal of troops and conduct of patrollingAccording to army sources, after the withdrawal of troops, meetings of ground commanders will be held to avoid any misunderstanding during patrolling. Both sides will share patrolling schedules so that the activities are done with transparency. By the end of this month, both countries will start monitoring their respective patrol points.Statement of Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri on the progress of the agreementForeign Secretary Vikram Misri recently announced that the two countries have made significant progress on the withdrawal of troops and patrolling in eastern Ladakh after long negotiations. This agreement is being seen as a major breakthrough after the tensions that arose in 2020. This initiative is an important step towards bringing stability in relations and ensuring peace on the LAC.Status of agreement on buffer zoneHowever, consensus on buffer zones in Galwan, the northern shore of Pangong Lake, the Kailash Range and the Gogra-Hot Spring area remains to be reached. Buffer zones were created in these areas after the 2020 confrontation, where neither side was allowed to patrol. But with the progress of the talks, it is expected that consensus can be reached to restore patrolling in these buffer zones in future as well.This troop withdrawal agreement between India and China reflects positive progress towards the ongoing dialogue at the diplomatic and military level.