Leh, Aug 08: India and China finalized a patrolling agreement along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Depsang and Demchok on October 21, 2024, ensuring disengagement, with prior agreements still in effect in eastern Ladakh, according to Minister of State for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh on Friday.
In a Lok Sabha response, Singh confirmed that the agreement has been implemented as per agreed terms.
Discussions on de-escalation continue at various levels, including ministerial talks, with engagement through mechanisms like the Working Mechanism for Cooperation and Coordination (WMCC) and Senior Highest Military Commanders meeting (SHMC) mechanism until October 2024 to address unresolved issues along the LAC.
Singh said, “India and China reached an agreement on patrolling arrangements along the Line of Actual Control in India-China border areas in Depsang and Demchok on 21 October 2024, leading to disengagement.”
“The agreement has since been effected and implemented as per modalities and timelines agreed,” he added.
Since the disengagement in 2024, besides mechanisms to address boundary-related issues such as the India-China Special Representatives’ Talks and the WMCC, both sides have held various other meetings to stabilise and rebuild ties, with priority on people-centric engagements including the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra, direct flight connectivity, transborder rivers and carried out activities to commemorate the 75th anniversary of establishment of diplomatic relations, the government said.
“Since last year, meetings have been held between the Prime Minister, Raksha Mantri, External Affairs Minister, National Security Advisor, Foreign Secretary and their Chinese counterparts,” Singh said.
Issues related to restrictive trade measures and roadblocks to economic cooperation have been raised by the External Affairs Minister and Foreign Secretary with their counterparts. Discussions on these matters have also been held at the working level, he added.
Pertinent to mention here that India and China reached agreement on patrolling arrangements along the Line of Actual Control in India-China border areas in Depsang and Demchok on 21 October 2024, leading to disengagement from all the friction points of 2020.
It has been agreed therein that patrolling activities and, wherever applicable, grazing will resume as per longstanding practice before friction started in these two areas. The agreement has since been affected and implemented as per modalities and timelines agreed. The terms of the disengagement agreements reached prior to 21 October 2024 continue to hold in relevant areas in Eastern Ladakh.
Since April/May 2020 the Chinese side undertook several attempts to unilaterally alter the status quo along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Western Sector. These attempts were responded to appropriately by our armed forces. These actions seriously disturbed the peace and tranquility along the LAC in the Western Sector. Since then, Government of India engaged with the Chinese side through diplomatic and military channels to ensure complete disengagement from all friction points and full restoration of peace and tranquillity in the India-China border areas.
