India, China begin troop withdrawal in Eastern Ladakh after border agreement

India and China have begun withdrawing troops from the Depsang and Demchok areas along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Eastern Ladakh, initiating the dismantling of temporary structures and posts set up since the May 2020 border conflict.

According to sources, the process of removing structures and troop disengagement is expected to take about two weeks, Caliber.Az reports via Indian media.

On October 23, India’s Ministry of External Affairs confirmed it reached an agreement with Beijing to conduct joint patrols along the LAC in Eastern Ladakh, a significant area of the long-disputed border. At a press briefing on India’s participation in the recent BRICS summit in Kazan, Indian Deputy External Affairs Minister Vikram Misri highlighted that the agreement on joint patrolling could facilitate troop disengagement and address longstanding issues from the 2020 clashes.

Misri stated, "India and China have agreed on a patrolling arrangement along the LAC, which could lead to troop disengagement and help resolve issues that began in 2020." Foreign Minister Subramanyam Jaishankar later confirmed this progress, describing it as a "positive development" that will help ensure "peace and stability in border areas."

The long-standing border tensions stem from the lack of a fully recognized demarcation between the two countries in the Himalayan region. Decades of attempts to resolve these differences have made little headway, with recent escalations dating back to the May 2020 clashes in high-altitude Ladakh. That confrontation led to casualties on both sides and increased military presence in the region. Although multiple rounds of diplomatic and military talks since 2020 have resulted in partial troop withdrawals, both countries have continued to seek a more comprehensive resolution.

In October last year, senior military leaders from India and China reached an agreement to maintain an open dialogue regarding the unresolved border issue in Ladakh, aiming to reduce tension and promote stability in the strategically sensitive region.

By Tamilla Hasanova