India, China disengage in three sectors at LAC

Officials see step towards returning to status quo

NEWDELHI: China has begun withdrawing its soldiers from three hotspots along the contested Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh, with India reciprocating by pulling back its forces deployed in those pockets as both sides step up efforts to resolve a month-long tense border confrontation, two senior officers familiar with the development said on Tuesday.

“Limited military disengagement” has taken place at the Galwan valley, Patrolling Point 15 and the Hot Springs area where Chinese soldiers have pulled back two to three km along with their infantry combat vehicles, said one of the two officers, both of whom requested anonymity.

“It’s a step towards returning to status quo ante (as of early April). Indian soldiers have also withdrawn from the forward positions held by them in these areas,” said the second officer.

Hindustan Times first reported on Monday that activity at the three sites declined after a seven-hour long meeting between the military commanders of the two armies, Lt Gen Harinder Singh, commander of the Leh-based 14 Corps and Maj Gen Liu Lin, commander of the PLA in the South Xinjiang region, at Moldo on the Chinese side of the LAC.

Pangong Tso , where it all began has also started to see

“de-escalation” but “it will take time to complete the process here,” said a third army officer who asked not to be named

More military talks are planned in the coming days to ease tensions along the LAC, including one between major general-ranked officers at Patrolling Point 14 near the Galwan area on Wednesday, said the second officer.

This will be the fourth round of talks between major generals to break the stalemate that began with a violent confrontation between rival patrols near Pangong

Tso on the night of May 5-6.

“Colonels and brigadiers will also hold a series of meetings with their Chinese counterparts at locations along the LAC to resolve the border situation. Hotlines at the tactical level are also functional,” the officer said.

Experts said that the beginning of disengagement at the three hotspots along the border was a positive development.

“It’s a good sign if tensions are easing at the three locations where the alignment of the LAC wasn’t disputed. We can now focus on resolving the situation on the northern bank of Pangong Tso,” said former Northern Army commander Lieutenant General DS Hooda (retd).

Around 250 soldiers of the two armies clashed near Pangong Tso last month with the scuffle leaving scores of troops injured. While an immediate flare-up was avoided as both armies stuck to protocols to resolve the situation, tensions swiftly spread to other pockets along the LAC.

Specifically, the stand-off was in three locations, marked as the Indian army’s patrolling points 14, 15, and 17.