Indian, Chinese troops disengage in eastern Ladakh.
India and China have reached an agreement on disengagement of troops from the north and south banks of the Pangong lake in eastern Ladakh, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh informed both the Houses of the Parliament on Thursday. Under the agreement, Singh said both sides will cease their forward deployments in a phased, coordinated and verified manner in these areas.
As the Defence Minister Rajnath Singh informed about the disengagement in the Parliament, the Indian Army has released a video showing the beginning of the disengagement process at the border. In the video, it can be seen that tanks of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) are returning to their base camps, as mutually agreed during the disengagement talks.
Chinese PLA T96 Tanks also known as ZTZ96, ZT15 light tanks of Chinese PLA moved back from RechenLa, Mukhpari, Spangur Gap. India army also moved back their T90, T72 tanks from the same location. BMP and ICV also moved back from the same location.
In North of Pangong Tso area (Finger area), movement started but not completed yet. As per the top source of Indian army, they are monitoring every move of Chinese PLA.
Speaking in the Lok Sabha after his Rajya Sabha address, Defence Minister Rajanth Singh emphasised that during the talks, India didn’t lose anything.
“I want to assure this House that in these talks we have not conceded anything. The House should also know that there are still some outstanding issues with regard to deployment and patrolling at some other points along the LAC in Eastern Ladakh.”
“These will be focus of further discussions with the Chinese side. We’ve agreed that both sides should achieve complete disengagement at the earliest and abide fully by the bilateral agreements and protocols. By now, the Chinese side is also fully aware of our resolve,” Rajnath added.
Indian-Chinese troops start disengagement process at Ladakh border.
“Chinese side will keep its troop presence in the North Bank area to east of Finger 8. Indian troops will be based at their permanent base at Dhan Singh Thapa Post near Finger 3. Similar action would be taken in the South Bank area by both sides,” Rajnath Singh added.
“The agreement that we have been able to reach with the Chinese side for disengagement in Pangong lake area envisages that both sides will cease their forward deployments in a phased, coordinated and verified manner,” Rajnath Singh mentioned in Lower House.
Indian and Chinese militaries were locked in a bitter standoff in eastern Ladakh for over nine months.
(With inputs from PTI, IANS)
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