India, China begin disengagement at Depsang and Demchok

This includes the restoration of “patrolling and grazing to traditional areas”, the Defence Minister says, crediting the agreement to “continuous dialogue”; once disengagement is complete, patrolling will resume

India and China have begun disengaging from Depsang and Demchok, the last two friction points of the 2020 standoff along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh, two official sources confirmed independently on Thursday (October 24, 2024).

The process started on Tuesday and it will take few days to remove the structures erected during the stand-off and restore the landforms, one of the sources said. Some tents and structures have been removed and the process is on, the source said, adding that once the disengagement is completed, patrolling will resume as was being done before the stand-off.

Speaking at an event, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said the two countries had reached a consensus to restore the “ground situation” based on the principles of equal and mutual security, He added that this includes restoration of “patrolling and grazing to traditional areas”.

Power of dialogue

Mr. Singh attributed the progress in ties to the “power of engaging in continuous dialogue because, sooner or later, solutions will emerge”.

“India and China have been involved in talks both at diplomatic and military levels to resolve their differences in certain areas along the LAC. Pursuant to the talks, broad consensus has been achieved to restore ground situation based on the principles of equal and mutual security,” he said, during an address at the second Chanakya Defence Dialogue organised by the Army, along with with the Centre for Land Warfare Studies.

Two friction points

Official sources said that the “patrolling arrangements” and the disengagement is with regard to the two remaining friction points at Depsang and Demchok. There is no change in status at the other friction points where disengagement has already been undertaken, meaning that the buffer zones at those locations will remain for now.

Confirming this, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said that, as far as the “disengagement agreements reached previously are concerned, those agreements were not reopened in these discussions.” In a media briefing on October 22 in Kazan on the sidelines of BRICS summit, Mr. Misri said, “The agreement that was reached yesterday, very early yesterday morning, was focused on issues that had remained outstanding in the last couple of years.”

The recent agreement states that, in the “pending areas under discussion, patrolling and indeed grazing activities, wherever applicable, will revert to the situation as it obtained in 2020.” The two “pending areas” are Depsang and Demchok where, unlike in other areas, the main issue is that Indian patrols have been blocked at Depsang and traditional grazing areas in Demchok have been disturbed. “We are focused on disengagement first, and discussions on de-escalation and de-induction will happen at the appropriate time,” the Foreign Secretary added.

Self-reliance, not isolation

In further remarks at the event, Mr. Singh clarified that India’s policy of self-reliance does not mean working in isolation from the global community, emphasising the country’s dedication to foster an equitable and inclusive world order. “Rather, it marks the beginning of a new chapter characterised by collaboration and partnership with the global community. We believe that self-reliance will empower us to contribute more effectively to international efforts, share our expertise, and engage in meaningful exchanges that benefit all,” he said.

Discussing the links between defence and development, the Minister said that if defence had been recognised as an integral component of development and studied more comprehensively in the past, India might have achieved self-reliance in the sector much earlier.

“The prolonged dependency on imports can be attributed, in part, to the lack of a coordinated approach between defence and development. Consequently, while our defence industry missed out on critical opportunities for growth and innovation, a significant portion of our defence budget flowed into other economies, limiting our ability to strengthen our own capabilities. Addressing this disconnect is essential for fostering a robust domestic defence industry that can contribute to national security and economic independence,” he added.

Published - October 24, 2024 07:22 pm IST