India and China Make Headway on Troop Disengagement in Ladakh

The Chinese military announced on Thursday that Indian and Chinese troops are advancing in their efforts to implement a recent agreement aimed at disengaging from border friction points in eastern Ladakh. However, they refrained from confirming reports indicating that the disengagement has been fully completed.

In a media briefing, Zhang Xiaogang, spokesperson for the Ministry of National Defence, remarked for the first time since the agreement on October 21. He stated, “China and India have effectively addressed border area issues through diplomatic and military discussions.” He added that the frontline troops are making headway in executing the resolutions in an orderly manner but did not provide specifics on the status of disengagement at the Demchok and Depsang Plains.

Regarding the bilateral disengagement agreement, Col Zhang noted that Chinese President Xi Jinping and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi discussed the situation during their recent meeting at the BRICS summit in Kazan, Russia. “Both nations have agreed to approach and manage their relationship with a strategic, long-term perspective, ensuring that specific differences do not impact overall bilateral ties,” he said.

In a recent update, Indian Army sources confirmed that disengagement has occurred at the two friction points, with patrolling anticipated to begin soon in these areas. The verification process following the disengagement is currently underway, and modalities for patrolling will be established between ground commanders. “Discussions will persist at the local commander level,” an Army source stated.

This development marks a significant step forward in resolving the prolonged standoff along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh, signaling a potential thaw in the traditionally strained relations between the two nations.