Indian Army begins patrolling in eastern Ladakh's Demchok

New Delhi: After four and half years, the Indian Army on Friday began patrolling at Demchok areas in eastern Ladakh with the army sources noting that a similar exercise will be undertaken soon at Depsang.

The patrolling started after completion of the disengagement process under which the Indian and Chinese troops along with their weapons, equipment and shelter went back to the positions they held before April 2020 when the border tension erupted.

“The patrolling by Indian troops starts at Demchok. It will start soon in the Depsang sector,” an officer said.

It is a co-ordinated patrolling, which means the ground commander of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army knows where the Indian troops are heading to. The PLA side is supposed to reciprocate with their patrolling units.

While officials did not share any details, the army’s initial plan was to start with smaller units deployed on short distances before resorting to full scale patrolling to the points where the troops used to go before the stand-off.

In the Demchok sector, access to two patrolling points were blocked by the PLA troops after the stand-off whereas in Depsang, the Indian troops could not go to five patrolling points – PP 10, 11, 11A, 12 and 13 – that are close to the Line of Actual Control.

The patrolling restarted after the two countries reached an agreement to resume patrolling at Depsang and Demchock sectors while maintaining status quo on the buffer zones that have been established at other friction points. Indian soldiers on Thursday offered sweets to the Chinese to celebrate Diwali.

Meanwhile, India has sent special forces to the US and Indonesia for exercises that will help improve the war fighting skills of the forces.

One para unit departed for Cijantung in Jakarta for Exercise Garuda Shakti with Indonesia between Nov 1-12 whereas a second team of the special forces will be headed to the USA for Ex Vajra Prahar at Orchard Combat Training Centre at Idaho from Nov 2-22, official sources said.