Indian, Chinese armies begin pullback at LAC
Indian and Chinese troops have begun disengaging on the southern and northern banks of Pangong Tso, China’s defence ministry announced on Wednesday even as people familiar with the development in India said both sides were pulling back armoured elements from heights around the frozen lake.
There was no official word from India’s defence ministry or foreign ministry on the development, which came against the backdrop of a nine-month military standoff in the Ladakh sector of the Line of Actual Control (LAC) that has taken bilateral ties to an all-time low.
Defence minister Rajnath Singh will make a statement on the development in Parliament on Thursday, in line with the convention that such key issues are first taken up in the House when it is in session.
In a statement on the Chinese defence ministry’s website, spokesperson Senior Colonel Wu Qian said: “The Chinese and Indian frontline troops at the southern and northern bank of the Pangong Tso Lake start synchronised and organised disengagement from February 10.”
He added: “This move is in accordance with the consensus reached by both sides at the 9th round of China-india Corps Commander Level Meeting.” The reference was to a meeting of military commanders held on