New Delhi (NVI): After a month-long military standoff, the process of de-escalation between India and China has started along the Line of Actual Control in Ladakh region.
Both sides have moved back their troops at several locations in Eastern Ladakh, according to sources.
The Chinese Army, which had kicked off the tensions by objecting to a road construction project of India, has moved its troops up to 2.5 kms in Galwan Valley, Hot Springs and PP-15 areas. India too moved back some of its troops and vehicles in these areas.
The process of de-escalation comes three days after top military commanders of the two countries met at Chushul-Moldo area at LAC and agreed not to escalate tensions by abiding to the guidance provided by their leadership.
After the disengagement, the military commanders of the two countries are to hold further talks in the coming few days to discuss ways to avoid such confrontations in the future.
After the talks on June 6, India’s External Affairs Ministry said, “Both sides agreed to peacefully resolve the situation in the border areas in accordance with various bilateral agreements and keeping in view the agreement between the leaders that peace and tranquility in the India-China border regions is essential for the overall development of bilateral relations.”
It added, “Accordingly, the two sides will continue the military and diplomatic engagements to resolve the situation and to ensure peace and tranquility in the border areas.”
China also has been talking about resolving the matter peacefully and not allow it to escalate.
The military stand-off in the Ladakh sector was triggered in early May after China objected to the construction of a road by India on its side of the LAC, claiming that it is their territory. After that, both sides mobilised thousands of troops, making it an eyeball-to-eyeball situation.
Earlier on June 5, senior officials of the foreign ministries of the two countries held talks and both sides agreed that they should handle the differences through “peaceful discussion”.
The talks were held via video conference between Naveen Srivastava, Joint Secretary (East Asia) in the Indian External Affairs Ministry and Wu Jianghao, Director General in the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The two sides reviewed the state of bilateral relations including the current developments, the External Affairs Ministry said, clearly referring to the LAC stand-off.
