On Tuesday, the United States expressed its approval of the recent disengagement of Indian and Chinese troops in eastern Ladakh, emphasizing that it did not facilitate the resolution of the border tensions despite maintaining communication with New Delhi on the situation.
“We are monitoring the situation closely and recognize that both nations have taken initial steps to withdraw troops from key friction points along the Line of Actual Control. We welcome any efforts to ease tensions along the border. While we have discussed the matter with our Indian partners, it is important to clarify that we were not involved in reaching this resolution,” a US official stated during a briefing in Washington, D.C.
This statement followed India’s announcement of an agreement with China regarding patrolling along the Line of Actual Control (LAC), marking a significant advancement in resolving the prolonged military standoff that began after the violent clash in Galwan Valley in May 2020.
China has also confirmed the agreement, stating that a resolution has been achieved on relevant issues and that it aims to collaborate with India to implement these decisions.
Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar noted that a consensus had been reached concerning patrolling and disengagement in the Depsang and Demchok areas. He indicated that patrols along the LAC would resume after the withdrawal process, restoring conditions to what they were in April 2020, prior to the escalation of tensions.
However, Jaishankar cautioned that this breakthrough regarding patrolling does not imply a complete resolution of all issues between the two nations.
On October 23, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping held their first bilateral talks in five years during the BRICS Summit in Kazan, Russia, where they acknowledged the border agreement.
Reports suggest that troop disengagement has commenced at the friction points in Demchok and Depsang Plains and is nearing completion, according to defense sources. Both the Indian Army and China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) are currently in the process of verifying troop withdrawals and dismantling military installations in sensitive regions along the LAC.
However, discussions regarding the four proposed buffer zones, including the Galwan area, have yet to take place. Future talks at the Corps Commander level will focus on the potential for resuming patrols in these buffer zones, contingent upon the successful initiation of patrols in Demchok and Depsang.
