New Delhi (NVI): India and China have reached an agreement on disengagement on the north and south banks of Pangong Tso lake in Ladakh, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said today in Parliament.
“Our sustained talks with China have led to agreement on disengagement on the north and south banks of Pangong Lake. After this agreement, India-China will remove forward deployments in a phased, coordinated manner,” the Defence Minister said in his statement.
The implementation of this agreement had started yesterday in the North and South Bank of the Pangong Lake. It will substantially restore the situation to that existing prior to commencement of the standoff last year, he said.
Speaking in Rajya Sabha over the tensions with the neighboring country, he informed that during the ninth round of Corps Commander-level military talks, it was decided that both the sides will remove forward deployments.
He added, “The Chinese side will keep its troop presence in the North Bank area to east of Finger 8. Reciprocally, the Indian troops will be based at their permanent base at Dhan Singh Thapa Post near Finger 3.”
“A similar action would be taken in the South Bank area by both sides. These are mutual and reciprocal steps and any structures that had been built by both sides since April 2020 in both North and South Bank area will be removed and the landforms will be restored,” the Defence Minister informed.
He assured the House that India has not lost anything and informed there are still some outstanding issues regarding deployment and patrolling on LAC.
Singh said India had never accepted China’s unjustified claims and would not allow even an inch of its territory to be taken.
“We have agreed that both sides should achieve complete disengagement at the earliest and abide fully by the bilateral agreements and protocols. By now, the Chinese side is also fully aware of our resolve,” Singh said.
He further informed that it has also been agreed to have a temporary moratorium on military activities by both sides in the North Bank, including patrolling to the traditional areas.
Indian and Chinese militaries have locked in a bitter standoff in eastern Ladakh for over nine months.
-CHK
