NEW DELHI: Indian govt officially confirmed Saturday that ‘verification patrolling’ has commenced in Demchok and Depsang areas along the LAC, the two friction points in India-China military standoff in eastern Ladakh, where a disengagement agreement was finally reached on Oct 21, creating a potential pathway for normalisation of bilateral ties.
Defence sources were quoted as saying on Friday that the Army had started patrolling at Demchok after informing Chinese army (PLA), in line with the patrolling arrangements finalised by both sides. The agreement led to the first formal bilateral meeting between PM Narendra Modi and President Xi Jinping in Kazan (Russia) on Oct 23, on the margins of Brics summit.
“You are aware that on Oct 21, 2024 the last phase of disengagement was agreed upon between India and China. As a result, verification patrolling has commenced on mutually agreed terms in Demchok and Depsang. We will keep you updated,” said Randhir Jaiswal, spokesperson, ministry of external affairs.
The official said as agreed at the meeting in Kazan, relevant dialogue mechanisms at the level of foreign ministers and other officials will be used to stabilise and rebuild bilateral relations. “We will let you know when these mechanisms meet to deal with issues of each other’s interest and concern,” he said.
Modi and Xi had also agreed to restart talks between special representatives on India-China boundary question that have not taken place for the past five years. “Our patrols now have full unrestricted access to the five patrolling points (PPs) in Depsang and two in Demchok, which was earlier blocked by Chinese soldiers. PLA, too, has begun its own patrols with prior information to us to prevent the possibility of any clash,” a defence source told TOI on Friday.
In the meeting with Xi, welcoming the agreement for complete disengagement and resolution of issues that arose in 2020 with the most serious military flare-up in recent times, Modi had underscored the importance of properly handling differences and disputes and not allowing them to disturb peace and tranquillity.