India, China disengaging at LAC, says Army chief

Army chief General M.M. Naravane on Saturday said that Indian and Chinese troops were disengaging in a phased manner from the stand-off at the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in the Ladakh sector and “a lot of disengagement has happened” in the Galwan river area.

Gen. Naravane said that the situation at the LAC was under control. As a result of the ongoing dialogue between the two nations, the military situation will keep improving.

This is the first official confirmation about disengagement between troops at some points in the Ladakh sector after a month-long military stand-off which has seen a massive build-up of troops and deployment of heavy weapons by both sides at the LAC from Ladakh to Arunachal Pradesh.

“I would like to assure everyone that the entire situation along our borders with China is under control. We are having a series of talks which started with Corps Commander level talks on 6th of this month. This was followed up with a number of meetings at the local level between commanders of equivalent ranks,” said the Army chief.

“We are hopeful that through this continued dialogue, all perceived differences that we have will be set to rest,” Gen.

Naravane said.

“Both sides are disengaging in a phased manner. We have started from the north, from the area of the Galwan river where a lot of disengagement has happened. It has been a very fruitful dialogue. It will continue and the situation will keep improving as we go on,” he said.

On the issue of Nepal, the Army chief said India has had strong ties with Nepal. “We have a very strong relationship with Nepal. We have geographical, cultural, historical, religious linkages. We have very strong peopleto-people connect. Our relation with them has always been strong and will remain strong in the future,” he said.