India-China Border Agreement: Troop Withdrawal and Patrolling Resumption
A significant agreement between India and China aims to ease tensions that have persisted along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) for the past four years. This agreement has initiated the process of troop withdrawal from the border regions. Indian and Chinese troops are pulling back from two key areas in the eastern Ladakh sector—Demchok and Depsang. Indian defense officials announced the progress of the withdrawal process on Friday morning.
As per the agreement, the Indian troops are withdrawing military equipment and other installations from the border areas. Both countries’ forces are removing tents and temporary structures from the region. Indian troops are moving westward near the Charding La Pass river, while Chinese troops are withdrawing eastward. Around 10-12 temporary structures and 12 tents from both sides are being removed. Once the withdrawal process is complete, patrolling is expected to resume in the Demchok and Depsang areas within the next 4-5 days.
The tensions between India and China peaked on June 15, 2020, when a severe clash broke out in the Galwan Valley of eastern Ladakh. The confrontation resulted in the martyrdom of 20 Indian soldiers, including Colonel Santosh Babu from Telangana. China also suffered casualties but did not initially disclose the number, later acknowledging the deaths of five soldiers. Following the clash, both nations deployed large contingents along the LAC, leading to a tense standoff.
Since then, diplomatic and military-level talks have been held multiple times to defuse the situation. These efforts have led to troop disengagement from some areas, but the critical regions of Demchok and Depsang remained occupied. Recently, India and China reached an agreement to resume patrols along the LAC, aiming to restore the status quo as it existed before the 2020 Galwan clash. Both sides will now have access to patrol points they used to visit before the confrontation. This agreement was reaffirmed by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping during the recent BRICS summit.
