New Delhi (NVI) India asserted today that an early completion of disengagement on the Ladakh border is essential for de-escalation and “hopefully” full restoration of peace and tranquillity in the border areas and overall progress in bilateral ties with China.
“I would like to reiterate what I have shared earlier viz. the process of disengagement remains unfinished,” External Affairs Ministry spokesman Arindam Bagchi said during a media briefing here while responding to questions regarding the situation in Eastern Ladakh sector of the Line of Actual Control (LAC).
China launched military aggression against India in the Eastern Ladakh sector in May last year, leading to military build-up in the mountainous region which continues as Beijing has been reluctant to pull back its troops.
Bagchi said the two sides have agreed that pending the completion of disengagement, they would maintain stability on the ground and avoid any new incidents.
“It is our expectation therefore that neither side should do anything that is not in keeping with these understandings,” the spokesman said.
“An early completion of disengagement in the remaining areas could lead to de-escalation of forces in Eastern Ladakh, which would hopefully lead to full restoration of peace and tranquility in the border areas and enable overall progress in the bilateral relationship,” he said.
Over the last one year, after military tensions rose because of Chinese aggression, the two countries have held several rounds of talks at various levels but eyeball-to-eyeball situation continues at a number of places along the LAC in the Eastern Ladakh sector.
Disengagement has taken place only in Pangong Lake area in February but after that China has been refusing to end the standoff.
