NEW DELHI: The Defence Ministry has reported that the situation along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) with China is “stable but sensitive.” This comes after the Indian Army resumed patrols in Demchok, eastern Ladakh, for the first time in over four years. The aim is to restore the situation to what it was before the military standoff started in April 2020.
On October 21, 2024, after many talks, India and China agreed to improve the situation based on fairness and mutual security. This agreement includes moving troops away from the busy areas of Depsang and Demchok and checking together on the changes made. The ministry stated, “Blocked patrol areas have been cleared by both sides, and joint checks are done.”
Patrols in these regions have started again. The troop withdrawal began on October 23, just two days after both countries announced progress in their talks. This step ended a two-year deadlock after the last round of disengagement in September 2022 at Patrolling Point-15 in the Gogra-Hot Springs area.
Last week, India stated it would work with China to implement cooperation plans, which include the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra and border trade. This was decided after Indian National Security Adviser Ajit Doval and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi met in Beijing on December 18 for their first formal talks in nearly five years.
In November, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh spoke with Chinese Defence Minister Admiral Dong Jun in Laos, highlighting the importance of reducing tensions and building trust between the two countries after the latest troop withdrawal.
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