Indian, Chinese Troops Disengage, Patrols To Start Soon

The disengagement of Indian and Chinese troops from Depsang and Demchok in eastern Ladakh concluded on Wednesday, with both sides now conducting joint verification of the withdrawal of troops and equipment to a specified and mutually agreed distance from the confrontation sites, according to sources familiar with the development.

The verification process is in line with the October 21 agreement between India and China to alleviate border tensions. “Disengagement has been completed at Depsang and Demchok, and verification is underway. Talks will continue at the level of local commanders. Both armies are expected to begin patrolling the areas soon,” said one of the sources, who requested anonymity.

China reported that the two armies are implementing the “resolutions” regarding disengagement along the LAC in eastern Ladakh in an “orderly” fashion, as reported by news agency PTI from Beijing.

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As part of the disengagement, both the Indian Army and the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) have withdrawn forward-deployed troops and equipment from the two flashpoints along the disputed Line of Actual Control (LAC) and have removed temporary structures set up after the standoff began in May 2020. “Patrolling modalities will be decided between ground commanders (brigadiers and below),” noted another source. “Exchange of sweets is planned on Thursday (Diwali),” they added.

This development will allow the Indian Army and PLA to move beyond a two-year negotiation deadlock—the last disengagement round at Patrolling Point-15 in the Gogra-Hot Springs area concluded in September 2022, after which talks stalled. Quoting Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Lin Jian, the report noted, “At the moment, the Chinese and Indian frontier troops are implementing the resolutions in an orderly way,” in response to questions regarding the disengagement.

According to former Director General of Military Operations Lieutenant General Vinod Bhatia (retd), the disengagement at Depsang and Demchok will enable coordinated patrolling by both sides, adhering to agreed frequency and strength for patrol teams. He added that both nations can now work towards restoring peace and stability along the LAC.

The disengagement began on October 23 and has now returned the ground situation in these two forward areas to its pre-April 2020 status. The Indian Army will resume patrolling activities in areas previously inaccessible due to PLA’s forward deployment.

The disengagement began after India and China reached a breakthrough on October 21, resolving the stand-off at Depsang and Demchok, the last two flashpoints in Ladakh where opposing troops had been in close confrontation for nearly four and a half years.

This current agreement applies only to Depsang and Demchok, with further talks expected to address other areas where buffer zones had been established following earlier troop withdrawals.

Unlike previous disengagements, which involved creating buffer zones to limit patrolling and reduce the risk of clashes, the pullback from Depsang and Demchok does not involve new buffer zones. India and China had previously disengaged from Galwan Valley, Pangong Tso, Gogra (PP-17A), and Hot Springs (PP-15), where temporary buffer zones were set up. The resumption of patrolling in these areas depends on the outcomes of further negotiations.

Disengagement from friction points marks an initial step in cooling border tensions. The following phases—de-escalating the ongoing conflict and eventually withdrawing troops—will be necessary to achieve lasting peace in the sector, where both armies maintain tens of thousands of troops and advanced weaponry in the Ladakh theater.

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