International
India, China mutually begin pullback of forces from frontline in Ladakh
After nine rounds of talks, India and China have decided to disengage and the pullback from the frontline in Ladakh will be mutual and in a phased manner, China and India said separately.
China said on Wednesday that the rival armies have started withdrawing.
China’s Defense Ministry announced that based on an agreement reached in January, their front-line troops started disengagement on Wednesday.
It said China hopes “the Indian side will work with China to meet each other halfway” and “ensure the smooth implementation of the disengagement process.”
In Delhi, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh told Rajya Sabha on Thursday that both armies agreed to pullback forces in a “phased, coordinated and verifiable manner”.
The consensus on disengagement was reached in areas north and south banks of Pangong Tso.
Singh told the parliament that Chinese army will move its forces to the east of Finger 8 on the north bank, and the Indian Army will move to their permanent base at Dhan Singh Thapa Post near Finger 3.
Both the sides have agreed to “temporarily suspend their regular patrolling activities on the north bank”.
Within 48 hours of “full disengagement” in these areas, Singh said senior Indian and Chinese commanders will meet again to discuss further disengagement at other friction points.
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