NEW DELHI, Nov 12: India and China have completed one round of patrolling in Demchok and Depsang areas in eastern Ladakh since the completion of the disengagement process in these friction areas.
The armies of the two countries have also agreed to carry out one coordinated patrol every week in the areas where tensions have persisted since the Galwan Valley clash in 2020. Patrols are coordinated at the local level and ground rules are decided by the local Commanders after talking to each other.
India and China have been following the agreements at both locations and verified the disengagement through patrols. Both sides have agreed to remove all temporary infrastructure in these two locations.
The two neighbouring countries carried out the first coordinated patrol in the area at the beginning of November after completing disengagement talks in October. In each area, one patrol would be done by the Indian troops and one patrol would be conducted by the Chinese troops, defence sources said.
To maintain ongoing stability, talks will continue at the local commanders’ level, involving brigadiers and officers of similar ranks. These discussions aim to refine patrolling protocols and address any remaining issues. As part of the Diwali tradition, Indian and Chinese troops had engaged in the customary exchange of sweets on October 31.
India, on October 21, announced that it reached an agreement with China on patrolling along the LAC, marking a breakthrough in ending the over four-year-long military standoff, which began following the deadly clashes between the troops of the two countries in June 2020 in Galwan Valley.
(Manas Dasgupta)
