Days After Disengagement With China, Indian Army Conducts Patrol In Ladakh’s Depsang, Demchok

New Delhi:
The Indian Army on Monday conducted a successful patrol in eastern Ladakh’s Depsang, days after it had conducted patrolling in Demchok on November 1, following the completion of the disengagement process with the Chinese military on the Line of Actual Control, defence sources said.
According to an official statement, following the consensus reached between the Indian and Chinese sides for disengagement and resumption of patrolling in Depsang and Demchok, the Indian Army successfully led a patrol to both points. This is yet another positive step towards maintaining peace and tranquillity on the Line of Actual Control (LAC), the Army said.
Meanwhile, China has yet not conducted patrols in Depsang. However, the country has carried out independent patrols in Demchok.
According to an agreement between both parties, multiple patrols can be conducted in a month. However, there has to be a prior notification before each patrol.
On November 2 (Saturday), the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) confirmed that verification patrolling has commenced on mutually agreed terms along the Indo-China border in Demchok and Depsang. Both sides had drawn up a border patrolling pact to disengage from the two remaining friction points.
Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal in his weekly press briefing said, “On October 21, 2024, the last phase of disengagement was agreed upon between India and China. As a result, verification patrolling has commenced on mutually agreed terms in Demchok and Depsang. We will keep you updated.”
On November 1, the Army said “coordinated patrolling” had started in the Demchok area and would soon commence in the Depsang plains. Jaiswal further said, “Relevant dialogue mechanisms at the level of foreign ministers and other officials will be used to stabilise and rebuild bilateral relations”.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar had earlier said the foreign ministers and national security advisers (NSA) of India and China will also meet to decide on a fair, reasonable and mutually acceptable solution to the border issue.
During a meeting in Russia’s Kazan on the sidelines of the BRICS Summit on October 23, two days after the central government’s announcement of the border patrolling pact, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Xi Jinping had welcomed the agreement between their countries on patrolling along the LAC as part of a process they hoped will eventually lead to disengagement and de-escalation.