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The disengagement process between the Indian and Chinese armies, initiated a few days ago, has reached 80-90 per cent completion in Depsang and Demchok, according to Defence sources.
Defence sources stated that the disengagement involves removing infrastructure and withdrawing troops from both sides. The process is expected to be completed by Tuesday. The Indian Army aims to finalise the disengagement by October 29 in both sectors, following which coordinated patrolling will commence. India has been working towards resolving this long-standing dispute to restore the pre-April 2020 situation, prior to the onset of Chinese aggression in the area. On Friday, the Chinese Foreign Ministry confirmed that frontier troops of both nations are engaged in "relevant work" in line with the agreement reached on border issues. During a press briefing, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian stated that this work is progressing "smoothly." When asked whether India and China had commenced troop withdrawals from friction points, Lin Jian said, "In accordance with the recent resolutions on border issues, the Chinese and Indian frontier troops are engaged in relevant work, progressing smoothly at present." On October 21, India announced an agreement with China on patrolling along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh, ending the over four-year military standoff. Speaking at an event in New Delhi on October 24, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh confirmed that both countries had reached a consensus to restore the "ground situation" based on principles of equal and mutual security. He added that this consensus includes restoring "patrolling and grazing rights in traditional areas." Singh attributed the progress in relations to the "power of sustained dialogue, which inevitably yields solutions." "India and China have engaged in discussions at both diplomatic and military levels to resolve their differences along certain areas of the LAC. A broad consensus has been achieved to restore the ground situation based on the principles of equal and mutual security," he said during the second Chanakya Defence Dialogue. Earlier, Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Chinese President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the BRICS Summit in Russia, where both leaders welcomed the agreement on patrolling arrangements along the LAC in eastern Ladakh. The meeting followed an announcement from the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) regarding the new patrolling arrangements along the LAC in the India-China border areas. The border standoff between India and China, which began in 2020 in eastern Ladakh along the LAC, was triggered by Chinese military actions and led to a prolonged strain on bilateral relations. Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, speaking on the sidelines of the BRICS summit in Kazan, stated that during PM Modi's meeting with President Xi, both leaders "welcomed the agreement achieved through sustained dialogue over recent weeks in both diplomatic and military channels." "PM Modi emphasised the need to prevent differences on boundary-related matters from disrupting peace and tranquillity along the borders. Both leaders agreed that special representatives on the India-China boundary question hold a key role in addressing this issue and maintaining peace in border areas," the Foreign Secretary noted. Misri added that the two leaders reviewed bilateral relations from a strategic and long-term perspective. "Restoring peace in border areas will create space for a return to normalisation in bilateral relations. Officials will now proceed with steps to enhance strategic communication and stabilise relations by engaging relevant bilateral dialogue mechanisms, including those involving our respective foreign ministers," Misri concluded. (ANI)
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