Indian, Chinese troops begin disengagement in certain areas in eastern Ladakh: Sources

Three days after a meeting between top military leaders, China and India have begun the process of troop reductions from at least three stand-off points near the Line of Actual Control in eastern Ladakh.

China’s People’s Liberation Army has moved back some of its troops and armoured vehicles by 2.5 km at locations like Patrol Point-14, PP-15 and PP-17 A (in Hot Springs area). The rollback is part of a road-map agreed by both sides when they met on Saturday to end the stand-off.

According to the plan -– shared by the government with a section of the media –- troop rollback may be completed in 10 days following talks between local level commanders of Maj Gen or Brigadier ranks. The resolution of the stand-off in the north bank of Pangong Tso, however, would take more time and involve Lt Gen level officers.

The second part of the resolution formula is the withdrawal of the troops from the depth area –- around 20 km from the disputed boundary -– and shift them to peacetime location.

India had moved a battalion from its brigade located at Dualat Beg Oldie after the PLA increased its troop strength.

Read: India seeks clarification on LAC alignment to avert future flashpoints with China

The Chinese needling at the Galwan valley apparently was to slow down the construction of a feeder link to the Darbuk-Shyok-DBO road that was made operational last year, providing the much needed connectivity to the world’s highest airstrip at DBO, close to the Karakoram
pass.

But neither side crossed the LAC at Galwan valley, which was never really a contested area.

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The resolution of the stand-off at Finger-4 area, however, would take more time as the area between Finger 4 and Finger 8 remains a hotly contested one.

For years, the finger areas and the 135-km-long pristine Ladakh lake remained a flash point between Indian and Chinese troops.

According to the Indian perception of the Line of Actual Control, the disputed border runs through Finger 8 (the spurs or mountain ridges are named as fingers) because of which Indian troops could go up to that point for patrolling. Going by the Chinese perception, the LAC runs through Finger 4.

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The May 5-6 face-off happened when the PLA troops stopped the Indian soldiers at Finger 4. The demand from the Indian side is to restore the status quo ante.