NEW DELHI: Indian Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi on Tuesday highlighted “trust” issues with China, a day after India and China reached a patrolling arrangement along the Line of Actual Control (LAC).
“We want to go back to the status quo of April 2020. Thereafter, we will be looking at disengagement, de-escalation, and normal management of the LAC… This has been our stand since April 2020,” General Dwivedi said.
“As of now, we are trying to restore the trust. That will happen once we are able to see each other, and we are able to convince and reassure each other that we are not creeping into buffer zones that have been created…,” he added.
General Dwivedi made these remarks while delivering the Colonel Pyara Lal Memorial Lecture on the Indian Army’s Decade of Transformation in Delhi.
He emphasized that both sides need to reassure and convince each other to progress with the subsequent phases of disengagement.
The Chinese side also officially confirmed on Tuesday that the two countries have reached an agreement to end the standoff in eastern Ladakh.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian stated, “China and India have maintained close communication through diplomatic and military channels regarding border-related issues. Currently, the two sides have reached a solution on the relevant matters, which China views positively.”
“In the next phase, China will work with India to effectively implement the solution plan,” Lin Jian added.
The two sides reached this stage after a series of discussions and deliberations at both diplomatic and military levels.
The TNIE on Monday reported concerns about trust with China after several sources on the ground indicated uncertainty about China’s commitment. The situation will only be clear after the troops withdraw and permanent structures are removed.
The new agreement addresses two key friction points, Depsang and Demchok. The military has remained consistent in its interpretation of the disengagement processes from areas such as Galwan, Gogra, Hot Springs, and the north and south banks of Pangong Tso, while also asserting that this does not affect India’s claim over the LAC alignment.
According to sources, previous disengagements were carried out on the principle of mutual and equal security, with no prejudice to either side’s claims over the LAC. However, the standoff at Depsang remains significant, as Chinese troops have blocked access to Patrol Points (PPs) 10, 11, 11A, 12, and 13, which cover an area of approximately 952 square kilometers.
These PPs, located east of the strategic Sub-Sector North road, are not directly on the LAC but lie within Indian territory. Sub-Sector North is crucial due to its terrain, which allows large-scale armored operations. While China has multiple roads feeding this area, India has only the DSDBO road, with work underway to develop alternative routes.
The strategic importance of Depsang is underscored by its proximity to the Y Junction, which is about 20 km from the Daulat Beg Oldi (DBO) airfield.
Control over the Y Junction enables China to obstruct India’s movements in the region, which also serves as a link towards Siachen and the DBO airfield.
The remaining standoff at Charding Nullah Junction (CNN) in Demchok, where a few tents have been pitched by the Chinese, also highlights the complex dynamics at play, as the LAC passes through CNN.
Indian forces had mobilized a significant deployment of over 68,000 troops, 90 tanks, 330 Infantry Combat Vehicles, and other artillery to forward positions in response to the Chinese troop movements in 2020.
As far as the details of the agreement on patrolling, it is expected that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese Presidnet Xi Jinping will meet in Russia on the sidelines of BRICS Summit to be held today.
