What is the meaning of patrolling at LAC again after a long period of tension?

New Delhi. There has been a lot of tension in India-China relations for a long time, but in a major development, some agreements have been reached between the two countries on the border. Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri has announced that an agreement has been reached between India and China regarding disputed patrolling points, after which the army will be able to start patrolling here again. Tensions arose after a violent clash between the armies of the two countries in the Galwan Valley of eastern Ladakh. Since then, agreements have been reached on many points and military withdrawal has also taken place.

Vikram Misri said that this agreement is also important because it will be able to take steps towards disengagement. For example, the situation will improve after this agreement at sensitive patrolling points like Depsang and Demchok. He said that diplomatic and military officials of India and China were in talks for the past few weeks. Discussions have been held on many fronts to resolve this long dispute.

After the incident in the Galwan Valley, patrolling was stopped at some patrolling points, but this resolution will help reduce tensions. For example, China had also built military bases in some areas and this further increased the tension, which can be resolved after this resolution. There was a dispute especially about the Depsang and Demchok areas, on which there was a problem in negotiation.

What did military sources say about the agreements?
Defense sources said that officials of the Ministry of External Affairs and the Indian Army were present in the meeting. The purpose of this meeting was to complete the process of disengagement from those points where the talks have been finalized. Although points like Depsang and Demchok are strategically very important and disengagement from these points is also necessary, but there was the biggest dispute about them. The process of resuming patrolling at these points is underway, where more than five patrolling points will be reactivated again.

However, many details of the agreements have been kept secret, and both sides are working to implement the agreements. The recent positive development comes after several rounds of military-level talks where disengagement and de-escalation were discussed at several other flashpoints near the LAC such as Pangong Tso, Gogra and Hot Spring. The disengagement process is underway, which is believed to reduce tensions and reduce the chances of any future border confrontation.

Timeline of disengagement
After the violent clash in the Galwan Valley in 2020, several rounds of talks were held regarding disengagement, which tried to reduce the tension on the LAC. Since June 2020, the process of disengagement has also been completed from many points:

1. Galwan Valley (June 2020): After the violent clash in the Galwan Valley, India-China agreed to a phased military withdrawal and a buffer zone was created. This was the first success in the direction of disengagement, which again focused on reducing tension in the area.

2. Pangong Tso (February 2021): Troops from both sides withdrew from the northern and southern banks of the Pangong Tso Lake. This was a significant breakthrough as the Pangong region had witnessed massive military build-up and was one of the most disputed areas during the tensions.

3. Gogra Post (August 2021): Indian and Chinese troops withdrew from Patrolling Point 17A (Gogra Post) in August 2021. Troops from both sides withdrew and buffer zones were created to maintain peace and avoid further confrontation.

4. Hot Springs (September 2022): Troops withdrew to Patrolling Point 15 in the Hot Springs area. After the 16th round of Corps Commander-level talks, troops were withdrawn and a buffer zone was established.

5. Depsang Plains and Demchok (dispute is going on): Disengagement has been done at many points but the issue of Depsang Plains and Demchok is still unresolved. However, with the new agreement, both sides are expected to start disengagement at these important points, which is an important decision.

What did the retired military officer say on the agreement?
It is worth noting that retired Lieutenant General DP Pandey said that China moved forward due to internal problems and strategic situation. He said that keep your thinking alert in the future. There should not be such surprises in the future. China wanted India to forget the border but the government remained adamant.

Retired Air Marshal Sanjeev Kapoor said that this decision has been taken because many trade related matters of China are stuck. China needs India as re-balancing. This is also the first step towards a permanent ceasefire in the coming times, but time will tell.