NEW DELHI (Diya TV) — India and China have reached a critical agreement on patrolling arrangements along the Line of Actual Control or LAC in eastern Ladakh, after four years of tense stand-offs, restoring stability along the disputed border which saw high military presence since clashes began in 2020.
The accord is a culmination of several rounds of diplomatic and military talks. It is also a part of the larger effort in reducing the level of tension, something that has worsened since the Galwan Valley incident in June 2020. As such, they agreed on maintaining peace and tranquility across the LAC through strict adherence to the earlier established protocols as well as through bilateral agreements.
Since the conflict started, India has maintained a forward military presence along the LAC with over 50,000 troops, while the People’s Liberation Army in China also kept significant numbers in the region. The new accord works towards restorations of patrolling rights and removal of some of the restrictions that came into place since 2020 as part of efforts to reduce tensions.
The accord resulted from three-day talks and were termed “in-depth, constructive, and forward-looking” by officials of both countries. The Indian delegation was led by Joint Secretary Gourangalal Das and the Chinese delegation by Hong Liang, Director General of the Boundary and Oceanic Department. It is understood that in both camps a mutual appreciation for the necessity to resolve these issues has developed to bring back normalcy in the presently pretty strained bilateral relationship.
The agreement is significant in the lead-up to the BRICS Summit, where Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is supposed to sit down with Chinese President Xi Jinping. This step might further open the way to diplomatic interaction between the two countries.