Disengagement begins in Ladakh days after India-China border breakthrough: Sources

A tent and several temporary structures have been removed from both sides of the India-China border. Indian soldiers are retreating to the west of the Charding Nala and Chinese soldiers are moving back to the east.

In Short

• Patrolling is expected to resume in eastern Ladakh in 4-5 days
• Dismantling of tents and other structures underway on both sides
• India-China agreed to end border standoff in landmark agreement

Days after India and China reached an agreement to end the standoff between the armies of the two nations in eastern Ladakh, the disengagement process has begun at two friction points along the Line of Actual Control (LAC), according to sources.

Five tents on each side in the Demchok area and half of the temporary structures in Depsang have been dismantled. Indian soldiers are moving back to the west side of the Charding Nala, while Chinese soldiers retreat to the east side, sources said.

There are about 10 to 12 temporary structures and around 12 tents on both sides, all of which are set to be removed. Once all tents and temporary structures have been fully removed, a joint verification process will begin, both on the ground and through aerial surveys.

The Chinese army reduced the number of their vehicles in the area, and the Indian army also withdrew some troops in the area. After this process is completed, patrolling is expected to resume in Depsang and Demchok within the next 4-5 days, sources added.

The disengagement operations are being coordinated through communication. Each morning, local military commanders from both nations hold a hotline call to discuss the planned actions for the day, and they also meet at designated points once or twice daily, according to sources.

“The removal of tents and temporary infrastructure is progressing smoothly, and there is cautious optimism that this momentum will help build confidence for future talks. However, the focus remains on maintaining trust and ensuring that any further steps are mutually agreeable," a military source, familiar with the disengagement process, said.

Discussions on the four buffer zones, including Galwan, have not yet taken place.

India, on October 21, announced that it has reached an agreement with China on patrolling along the LAC, marking a major breakthrough in ending the over four-year-long military standoff, which began after troops were engaged in a violent confrontation in Galwan Valley in May 2020.

China also confirmed the deal on the next day, with Beijing saying that a resolution has been reached on "relevant matters" and that it will work with New Delhi to implement these resolutions. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said that, going forward, his country will work with India to implement these resolutions.

As border disengagement is expected to improve strained ties between the two Asian giants, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi, who met on the sidelines of the Brics summit in Kazan, endorsed the agreement. This meeting was followed by directions to revive various bilateral dialogue mechanisms on both sides, signalling attempts to normalise relations.