India and China have agreed to disengage their troops from the friction areas in eastern Ladakh, making a fresh step towards peaceful resolution of the tense face-off prevailing along the disputed boundary between the two neighbours since the last one and half months.
Led by Lt Gen Harinder Singh, General Officer Commanding-in-Chief of Leh-based 14 Corps and Maj Gen Liu Lin, Commander, South Xinjiang Military Region, the crucial meeting began around 11.30 AM on Monday and continued for nearly 11 hours.
“The Corps Commander level talks between India and China on June 22, 2020 were held at Moldo (opposite to Chushul) in a cordial, positive and constructive atmosphere. There was a mutual consensus to disengage,” Army sources said in Delhi.
“The modalities for disengagement from all friction areas in Eastern Ladakh were discussed and will be taken forward by both the sides,” they added.
From the very beginning, India’s demand was complete withdrawal of the Chinese troops from the contentious areas in the Galwan valley such Patrol Point-14, PP-15 and PP-17A as well as restoration of the status quo ante on the northern banks of the Pangong lake where China heavily enhanced its presence.
The breakthrough is announced on a day when Army Chief Gen M M Naravane visits Ladakh for an on-the-spot assessment of the security scenario and congratulate the soldiers who put up a gallant fight with the PLA troops on the bloody Monday when 20 Indian soldiers were killed in a brutal hand-to-hand combat with the Chinese troops.
Accompanied by the GOC Northern Command Lt Gen Y K Joshi, the Army Chief met the soldiers at the Military Hospital at Leh.
A day before, Gen Naravane reviewed the security scenario and operational readiness of the Army with his top commanders in an emergency conference in Delhi.
Notwithstanding the peace formula concluded at the marathon meeting, India remains jittery because of the Chinese People’s LiberationArmy’s track records.
A similar plan to resolve the stand-off at the Line of Actual Control in Ladakh was agreed upon by the two armies on June 6 but when it came to implementation, the Chinese Army threw the agreement and other bilateral accords out of the window and attacked the Indian troops who went to the clash site to ensure the mutually agreed plan’s implementation.
Last Monday’s clash resulted in the killing of 20 Indian soldiers including an officer and injuring 76 others. Ten others including four officers were in Chinese captivity and were released after three days.
According to the Union Minister and former Army Chief Gen V K Singh, 43 PLA soldiers were also killed in the clash making it the bloodiest confrontation on the LAC since the 1962 war.
The bloody battle frayed ties between the two countries, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi sending a strong message to China that “India wants peace but if provoked, India is capable of giving a befitting reply”.