India and China Begin Verification Patrols at Key Border Points to Ease Four-Year Standoff

India announced on Saturday that its troops are now patrolling Demchok and Depsang along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) with China to verify that frontline forces from both nations have disengaged. This comes after a four-year military standoff that significantly strained relations between the two countries.

The patrols follow an October 21 agreement aimed at easing tensions in the Ladakh sector of the LAC, a border area that became a flashpoint between the nations in April 2022. Two days after the agreement, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping met in Kazan, Russia, marking their first face-to-face encounter in five years. During the meeting, both leaders agreed to reactivate diplomatic mechanisms to restore peace and address the border issues.

“On October 21, 2024, India and China reached an agreement on the final phase of disengagement,” said External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal during a media briefing. “We have now started verification patrols in Demchok and Depsang as agreed upon by both sides,” he added. These two points were the main focus of diplomatic and military talks aimed at ending the standoff.

Sources familiar with the situation shared that the patrols are being conducted to ensure that both Indian and Chinese troops have withdrawn to a safe and mutually agreed distance. The disengagement process at Demchok and Depsang began on October 23 and was finalized by October 30. This process also included removing temporary structures built by both armies during the standoff, which now allows Indian troops access to key patrolling points previously blocked by Chinese forces.

Further talks are expected to stabilize the situation as both nations seek to rebuild their ties. Jaiswal mentioned that both countries agreed to activate communication channels, including meetings between foreign ministers and other officials, to maintain peace along the LAC.

The disengagement is seen as a major step in ending the prolonged standoff in Ladakh, which brought India-China relations to their lowest point since the 1962 border war. Tensions had escalated after a deadly clash in the Galwan Valley in June 2020, which led to the first fatalities on the LAC in 45 years, with 20 Indian soldiers and at least four Chinese troops losing their lives.

As a next step, the leaders have directed their Special Representatives – India’s National Security Adviser Ajit Doval and China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi – to meet soon. They will work to manage border peace and seek a fair and mutual solution to the ongoing boundary issue.

Sources: Internet Sources & Twitter X 

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